Pitchfork

If you were in a musty, atmospheric rathskeller and overheard "Stratford 4, blah, blah, blah, debut, blah, blah, blah, BRMC, Yo La Tengo, Sigur Rós, Velvet Underground, and My Bloody Valentine, blah, blah, blah...," would you lean in over your gueuze for a closer listen? Well, you might be a tad less credulous learning that such comparisons come from a press release, but by eavesdropping, you'd end up with a fairly sound notion of where the San Francisco quartet Stratford 4 are coming from on their upcoming debut.

n The BRMC connection is actually fairly concrete-- frontman Chris Streng was in an earlier incarnation of the band, and was introduced to the remainder of Stratford 4's future lineup by current BRMC members in 1999. The fully evolved Stratford 4 sound layers multiple strata of guitar encasing "Yo La Tengo-esque" melodies brushed with the "dark strokes of the Velvet Underground." Hmmm... noise-pop? Intrigued (and patient) listeners can look for the band's audaciously titled debut, The Revolt Against Tired Noises on Jetset early next February.