This OKC band released one of the best debuts of last year, and it's already back with a follow-up. And unlike many bands who exhausted their creativity with their first shot, some fear shows great promise of a future of plenty.

some fear Word Eater (self-released)

I've given the whole history of emo story too many times, but some fear has obviously spent time with second-wave bands like Mineral. The pace can be glacial, but the noise is glorious. In fact, it's that harnessing of sound a fury that really takes this album to great heights. The songs and the album are far more cohesive and intense this second time around.

In fact, there are a few nods to original emo heroes Jawbox and Edsel. Unlike the first album, where some fear seemed to keep itself in a box, this album finds the band striding forward confidently. Rather than being "that band that sounds kinda like . . .", now some fear is becoming the band others will try to imitate.

The biggest improvement is a willingness to incorporate modern ideas and then stir everything up into this muscular, intoxicating, whatever-gazing maelstrom of modestly melodic noise. My usual advice to bands is to take their time before laying down album number two. I guess my advice to these folks should be to get back in the studio and record #3 pronto! Just give me enough time to properly digest and enjoy this one. So a new one at the end of May?

I joke, but to hear a band whose debut I loved come back so quickly with a real stunner like this is mind-blowing. I've spent two days trying to come up with a comp. And I couldn't. In any case, there's no doubt this will end up one of the great albums of the year. Completely mesmerizing.

Jon Worley