Tiara, hailing from the mini-mecca of Columbus, Ohio is a four-piece band
that plays a combination of indy-pop and guitar driven rock.  Having had
the chance to see them live my first impression was that they sounded a
bit like Seam meets Silver Scooter.  Recorded, however, the band presents
a different story.


Tiara's latest full length is titled "Again Cast In" and comes after a few
7''s and their debut, "Calling the Whales."  This new release shows
development in the band as musicians and songwriters but still does not
stick out among the thousands of other nameless indie bands that will send
their cd's and lp's to college radio stations and zines around the
country this year.  The first half of the album is very poppy and has the
guitarists constantly using various effects.  The vocals have a very
distinctive style though it really isn't all that effective.  They sound
buried under the rest of the instruments and the lyrics aren't easy to
make out.  Most of the song titles are decent besides the beaten to death
"Lost."


The second half of the album, though, gets better as the boys    
begin to rock a bit more.  The fifth song, "Navy Blue," is definitely a
stand out.  It comes as a bit of a shocker, sounding very different from
anything before or after it.  This song is seriously great.  Personally, I
think this band would greatly benefit by going more in the direction of
this song.  I could hardly believe it was the same band.


Overall "Again Cast In" is listenable if you're a fan of nice, boyish
indy-pop but really never rises much above the mediocre.  There are some
very effective moments, though, and songs like "Navy Blue" suggest that
Tiara does have a great deal of potential.  Whether they ever acheive it
is yet undecided.  Until they do I'll just stick with bands like their
friends, Silver Scooter.