The music Wydown makes should be popular, but until American ears evolve, Wydown is a little too challenging to reach the radio market. Brit pop-meets-American alt rock played by what sound like grad students makes this EP savvy and smart. With the occasional horn blasts melding nicely with vocals of epic proportions, Message from the Yes Man bucks trends, but somehow sounds familiar. All this, and you can still shake your butt to it.

Brad Filicky