Century Egg
River God, Independent, centuryegg.bandcamp.com
There’s something familiar about Century Egg, but it’s difficult to pinpoint. They manage to sound like several bands at once, and identifying a single stylistic cousin is a maddening exercise (perhaps Cub comes closest). That vague familiarity does tend to enhance enjoyment of their sophomore EP, a set of idle, guitar-forward pop songs that occasionally take on a hard edge (before retreating to their mellow beginnings). Singer Shane Keyu Song, who alternates between English and Mandarin, is a charming presence in both languages. (Scott Bryson)