Like Muse, King Adora, Terris, and JJ72 before them, Easyworld fell in step with a group of early 21st century indie bands that put an overblown, often neo-glam spin on the new acoustic movement. This Is Where I Stand focused on a large number of the same clichés: androgynous Jeff Buckley falsettos, overwrought lyrical topics, enough electronic embellishments to get by, and damaged, soft-driven verses flung up against attention-seeking blasts of noise. Easyworld’s lavish overconfidence was promising, however, which fueled and overshadowed the subpar songwriting. Particularly memorable was the folkish Bluetones swagger of “Junkies and Whores” and the celebratory “You and Me,” a fat, brassy number of loud shouts and stompy pop. – Dean Carlson
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