Minus Story seem to vacillate between two extremes. At one end, they portray a kind of raw yet delicate brand of psychedelia, at the other, a lo-fi concoction of dense and gritty rock. Not that they sound like two different bands; it's just that their polarized approach to songwriting and production leaves almost no middle ground to be found on their recordings. This isn't a bad thing, though, especially when they do both extremes so well. No Rest for Ghosts finds the Missouri quintet in top bipolar form and serves up a heady blend of acid pop, seasoned with bits of pastoral quirkiness and experimental rock muscle. Elephant 6 band comparisons are inevitable, but don't overlook the influence of more polished groups like the Zombies or the Beach Boys — they're in there too, issuing faintly through prewar radio equipment. Minus Story embrace imperfection with Flaming Lips-like abandon, but never use it as a gimmick — a case in point being Andy Byers' warbly vocal stylings that exist somewhere between the breathy angst of Billy Corgan and the naked squawk of Les Savy Fav's Tim Harrington. Byers is a man unafraid to crack a note and unashamed of putting actual human feeling behind a lyric. The result is effectively affective, especially on the album's standout track, "Waking Up," where Byers doesn't just sing the song, he haunts it. - AMG

1. I Was Hit
2. Knocking On Your Head
3. Ringing In The Dark
4. Hold On
5. Little Wet Head
6. Waking Up
7. Will I Be Fighting?
8. There Is A Light
9. To The Ones You Haunted
10. In Our Hands