Category:
Pop

Try if you like:
Dashboard Confessional, Death Cab For Cutie, Promise Ring

•   Sticks And Stones

Ride Your Bike is the project of Fort Collins, CO (just north of Denver) native Mike Getches. Bad News From The Bar is the musical companion to a wartime story, a concept album about Elliot and Lillian finding out what is important in life. 

Mike manages to create quite a lush, pop album that has plenty to thank contemporaries like Dashboard Confessional and Death Cab For Cutie. There are a lot of pop-styled acoustic guitars present with some interesting layered vocals backing up Getches geeky voice. Super gentle songs are included such as the contradicting-titled "Faster". This guy has a talent for writing infectiously catchy songs. He never goes overboard and is not afraid to show restraint. It might be too much for people who don't care for the sappier side of things but I think this is a great debut.

Honestly, I really enjoyed Bad News From The Bar even though I knew it wasn't all that original. The production is perfect for such a project: rich, with the vocals up high. Getches is one of those musicians who takes influences of others and crafts something of his own without really reinventing anything. In this case it works. If you get off on great indie pop songwriting like the aforementioned bands then you will find that Ride Your Bike is a charming project and one you should spend your money on.