Faded Paper Figures is one of those rare beasts: a college band that have stuck through it and managed to survive after the members finished their education. It's even more impressive when you consider that they all have diverse and distinguished 'day time' jobs and that they're based in locations far apart. Heather Alden is in residency after graduating from medical school, R. John Williams is a full-time professor of English at Yale, and Kael Alden writes music for a production company in Los Angeles called Robot Repair.

The only reason the band originally formed is because Williams was looking for a distraction from writing his dissertation, and suggested to Kael and Heather that they write some music together. Three weeks later they had managed to write a few songs, record them and and put them online. This motivated the group to put some additional material, and in 2008 they released their debut album, Dynamo.

Relics is the band's fourth album. It's represents an interesting collection of retro styles. It kicks off with the '80s inspired synth based 'Breathing'. 'Not the End of the World (Even as We Know It)' reminded me of Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire' - not musically, but with the quick list that's trotted out. 'On the Line' is another enjoyable track.

'Spare Me' is a memorable, pop-based song that will lodge itself firmly in your head. And 'Real Lies' has a '90s indie dance track feel to it.

We close with the sweetest track on the album 'Forked Paths' which is very Cold Play-esque.

The album contains 12 tracks (48 min, 52 sec) and it's certainly one that you'll return to time and time again.

8

Nick Smithson