'…Pretty & Nice re-imagine the playfully manic, barbed-wire sounds of Devo, XTC, and This Year’s Model-era Elvis Costello. Their approach is so guileless and giddy, you’ll get drunk on that spazzy, sneering sound all over again. Though the rousing, delightfully messy songs on their sophomore album are neither pretty nor nice, they do show off some masterfully economical riffs and herky-jerky (if not outright dance-y) rhythms. …swells with energy and amphetamine-addled pop hooks, making it hard to ignore and near impossible not to like.' [Pitchfork]

'In the winter of 2009, the members of Fugitive Souls were joined together by a shared desire to forge a new sound for the 21st century. The band's volatile combination of dark, alternative guitar-based angst mixed with distopian electronic flourishes clearly echoes the introspective melodies and musical sensibilites of artists such as The Cure, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins, and M83. Fresh off the heels of their debut EP "Strangers", this Brooklyn 4-piece is rapidly attracting a growing fan base in and around the New York City music scene. Revered for their energetic live shows and memorable songwriting, Fugitive Souls are showing all the right signs of a promising career in the years to come.' [The Alternate Side]

'Long Beach’s Valley Arena deliver a dynamic, well-crafted modern rock album—I guess you could say that their sound has evolved and grown up, but they bring enough of their old building blocks to the studio to have assemble something mostly new, yet hazily familiar. They’re able to strike that delicate balance of their noisier/more frenetic elements with newly focused song structure that lends itself well to their individual playing styles. The real brilliance on this record is found in the guitar/bass tones…' [L.A. Record]