Billy Music
Midwest Index CD - Law of Inertia

If you were given two hints, could you guess what sort of music a particular band played? Well, Billy Music is a band from the Midwest, home of bands like The Get Up Kids, Ultimate Fakebook, The Anniversary, Appleseed Cast, and countless others. Secondly, Midwest Index was engineered and produced by Ed Rose, who has also worked repeatedly with bands like The Get Up Kids, Ultimate Fakebook, Brandston, Appleseed Cast, and countless others. Any guesses? ¶ Well, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, Billy Music (formerly known as just plain Billy) creates indie rock that wears its heart on its sleeve and likes to play around with loud/soft dynamics. Of all the bands mentioned thus far, Brandston would be the best comparison, as Billy Music plays a somewhat similar, but not quite as well developed, brand of textured and heartfelt rock. After opening up with a gentle acoustic number, Midwest Index rocks a little harder than most, and takes its time too, stretching songs like “If It Rained All Day” and “Benign” out over more than seven minutes, which can sometimes feel a bit self-indulgent. Things slow down again from time to time, with more acoustic numbers like “Fog Line”, but the highlights come with more rocking tracks like “24 Hours From Anywhere”. ¶ Okay, so Midwest Index may not be the most earth-shattering record you’ve ever heard, and so what if Billy Music could be mistaken for at least a handful of Deep Elm bands. Though they still have some work to do in creating a sound that is their own, the band seems well on its way, and seems more like a group of guys who play because they love to, not to change the world. (Eddie Fournier)
www.billymusic.com