Motion Commotion, self-titled EP, (Piermont Records) — What an incredibly strange juxtaposition of genre and sound. Though a combination of angular math and indie rock, these guys found a way to sneak some pop melodies into the mix, along with clarinet, violin, accordion and tape loops. Regrettably, some of the more intricate aspects of their musicianship are buried. And for some reason, the album concludes with a long, unintelligible story that really kind of freaked me out. Rating: No — Brendan Greene-Walsh

Tim sez: I will say these New Yorkers are ambitious, and talented, and not afraid to throw in some gorgeous instruments that add gravitas to what would be run-of-the-mill rock songs (“Sunshine,” “Make Love”). Still, there’s an overall wonkiness about the EP that makes it difficult. Too many ephemeral noises and proggy oddities get in the way of the delicate moments, like the piano / violin / clarinet instrumental “Motion” that sounds like it came off an indie film score. And Brendan’s right, the final song was a mistake. Rating: No.