MTV GOT IT RIGHT

Like many artists who’ve made it big through grassroots support, Seattle-based rockers The Myriad had prime TV show placement to help get the proverbial ball rolling. In addition to placement on “The Real World: Denver,” the band sealed its “Emerging Artists” status by getting handpicked by MTV for the “Dew Circuit Breakout” challenge, which The Myriad ended up winning, thanks to several million voters.

So to say that expectations are high for the band’s Koch Records’ debut, With Arrows, With Poise, is a serious understatement. But thanks to a pitch-perfect set list packed with one clever song after the next, rock & roll fans won’t leave the listening experience disappointed. In fact, there’s not a dud in the 12-track bunch, a rarity in our singles-driven, iPod age.

What makes these songs really pop is an intuitive knack for melody (see “Forget What You Came For” for the band’s best work) and the polished yet decidedly artsy production from Michael Ilbert (The Cardigans, Kent, The Hives). Just when the listener is expecting the song to head in a certain direction, there’s one surprising turn after the next, which leads to a rewarding listening experience that should easily cement the band’s status as “one to watch.”

–Christa A. Banister