Pitchfork

It's been a couple of years since Chicago's Sybris impressed us with their self-titled debut, where they sounded like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs more beholden to 1990s alterna-rock than 80s post-punk. Whatever they've been doing since 2005, they haven't tinkered with their style-- "Oh Man!" is of a piece with Sybris's "The Best Day in History Ever", from the blocky yet aerodynamic drums to the nervously chiming guitar lead. This is a good thing, since the band's anthemic indie rock was refreshing precisely for its unabashed classicism. Fireball singer Angela Mullenhour's soaring vocals invest new life into unfussy structures that mostly try to stay out of her way: the rumbling intro that launches the driving verse, the raucous crescendo and inevitable breakdown. So if the half-time bridge and explosive comeback combo on "Oh Man!" isn't surprising, it's satisfying. At a time when indie music seems unduly concerned with thwarting expectations, there's something to be said for a song that keeps the promises it makes.