When It Was Now (Deluxe Version)

As indie music has changed and grown, there are frequently discussions about its evolution and commercialization. Bands like Surfer Blood—which employs the deliberately detuned guitars of early-'90s Pavement and Sebadoh—are often called “classic indie.” So where does that leave slickly produced electro-pop acts like Australia’s Atlas Genius? When its shimmering indie pop tune “Trojans” was featured on the Neon Gold site, the three brothers and their keyboard-playing friend landed more than 45,000 downloads. Atlas Genius’ debut album, When It Was Now, still balances the group's glossy production with singer Keith Jeffery's earnest inflections. The opening song, “Electric,” leans more toward neon synth tones and a near-danceable rhythm section that rests comfortably in the crosshairs of The Killers and Kings of Leon (much like the latter band, the brothers Jeffery grew up in a musical family). Conversely, the standout song “Through the Glass” is more organic in its catchiness, with acoustic guitars and handclaps bolstering the radio-friendly melodies. Maybe indie's commercialization is its evolution.