Dios – Dios

Considering the fact that “dios” means “god” in Spanish, this SoCal band’s musical religion is nothing short of polytheistic. Drawing most clearly on The Beach Boys, Radiohead and Elliott Smith, this five-piece, L.A.-based band covers plenty of ground in just a dozen tracks. Whether it’s the summery pop perfection of “Starting Five” with it’s bird-call samples or the weepy but raucous movements of opener “Nobody’s Perfect,” the band revels in shedding and replacing sonic layers to create an accessible depth. A seeming suite divided by the Smith-like “Just Another Girl,” “You Make Me Feel” and “You Got Me All Wrong” offers the perfect combination of keyboards, classy guitar refrains and big vocal bridges that would make Phil Spector smirk.