Photo by Katie Hovland

Boss Tuneage Records – Release Date: 7/11/11

Textbook has been together for over ten years, perfecting their own style of alternative rock that’s influenced by everyone from The Replacements to Naked Raygun. Fronted by former Not Rebecca singer/guitarist Dave Lysien, Textbook has released a total of four full-lengths, and the band’s continued development is clearly apparent on Out Of My Universe. The EP was recorded by Matt Allison at Atlas Studios and sounds reasonably polished, yet retains the right amount of energy and edge. The first song, “Crowding”, is an urgent, fast-paced rocker with classic Midwestern punk inspiration, and it’s followed by “Please Reconsider”, which is a concise, melodic tune that clocks-in at less than two minutes. The title track is up next and it evokes The Hold Steady in terms of its guitar work and enjoys an extremely infectious chorus. “Laugh Out Loud” is a melancholy, mid-tempo song with a slight country influence, while “I Can’t Take You Anywhere” is pure power pop and absolutely the catchiest song on this record. The final entry, “Who’s Sorry Now”, is a fitting conclusion as it showcases nearly all of Textbook’s finest attributes. Such traits include; creative songwriting, earnest lyrics, an ample amount of backing vocals, skilled musicianship and a knack for blending various genres into a unique sound. Out Of My Universe is recommended for fans of Husker Du, Lucero, Gameface or anyone searching for quality, pop-infused rock this summer.

Textbook UK tour dates with The Magnificent:

July 16 – Leeds @ The Well
July 18 – Brixton @ The Windmill
July 19 – Cambridge @ Portland Arms
July 20 – Derby @ Victoria Inn
July 21 – Sheffield @ The Red House
July 22 – Manchester @ Gulliver’s