Papermoons

We live in a time when the music scene is missing out on diversity. Although many unsigned artists out there are talented, they lack that ability to stand out from their competition. Former Houston duo Papermoons has all the components to be exactly the same as the rest — acoustic guitar, tousled hair, off-kilter album artwork, a sound often very close to Death Cab for Cutie. However, there is a soft beauty in Matt Clark and Daniel Hawkins's voices, not full of the typical indie-boy longing or mock-breathy vulnerability. It's subtle, but definitely not below the radar. Papermoons' 2008 album, New Tales, listens like a playlist some lonely barista made to pass the day away, making up in lyrical depth what it may lack in originality. Hawkins and Clark's voices complement one another best on "Front Porch," first tag-teaming their audience, then blending them together as one. "Lazy Bones" stands out as lyrically, with depth and relevance no matter the listener's age group. This is music that narrates long nights spent writing papers or thought-filled road trips that lack a destination. No need to sing along, though — Papermoons does just fine on their own.