Sweet Secrets' Color Force Rocks Out Full Force

Seattle six-piece Sweet Secrets merge the best of their previous two EPs into a debut full length album that gently straddles the line between the sweeping guitar rock of the early '90s (The The, U2) and the lush indie rock of the '00s (Interpol, The National). Roger Lloyd's fluid vocals lend comparisons to a range of influences--recalling well-turned notes from Spoon's Britt Daniel to Strokes' playboy Julian Casablancas--but luscious harmonies and Corrina MacFarlane's otherworldly violin warps the familiar into something all their own.

Then there's lead guitarist Eric Severtson, who wraps killer hooks around equally distinctive effects that gently percolate on tracks like "Ghostpaper" and explode on "Pinhole Camera." Next to Corey Knafelz's steady percussion and a lot of clever word play: "I made a deal with the devil/now he's acting like we never even met before," sings Lloyd on "Too Busy," the band wholly owns these 12 tracks, blending dreamy song structures into gorgeous pop resonance.

Standout tracks: "Too Busy," "Fall Apart," "Queenless," "Pinhole Camera," "Troublemaker"

Sweet Secrets play the Skylark this Friday (1/13) with Poland.