Cheap Shot! readers, if you haven't yet met them, allow us to introduce you to Kansas City, Missouri's Republic Tigers. They're happy to meet you, and they've brought with them a copy of their debut full-length, Keep Color. Penned, mostly, by guitarists / vocalists / keyboardists / brainchildren, Kenn Jankowski and Ryan Pinkston. (Pinkston also provides some percussion.) The LP is held together by guitarist, singer, and sample producer, Adam McGill, and the all-important bass and drum attack of Marc Pepperman and Justin Tricomi. Whew! That was a chore.

Anyhow, seeing as you might not have heard the album yet - it was released Tuesday - we'll describe it to you, dear reader, as if you might be hearing it for the first time.

Dig into just the first two tracks and you'll get the sense that Keep Color is equal parts Substance and Pet Sounds. It's also, of course, very Republic Tigers - in as much as we can tell from the band's limited output thus far. What does this mean? Well, first of all, this isn't an album where the songs run together in your head. Each track is a distinct, inviting ride on the Republic Tigerrollercoaster of musical delights.

Fans of local Philly boys, Dr. Dog, might see the Tigers as Dr. Dog's musical brethren from the Bible Belt. Clearly, the two acts would be swell touring mates, should that bill ever be culled together. And, what's this? Fish ahead to the powerful closing track, "Cast On, Cast Off" and you can decipher pieces of demented, Syd Barrett approved psych-pop. Still, Keep Color parts ways with this tradition almost as quickly as the band embraces it.

For all the things the Republic Tigers are, what they manage not to be is easily placed into a specific indie rock subgenre. Should you decide to see the band live, you'll have a hard time deciding whether to take your hip uncle with all the Donovan albums or your younger brother with the Interpol fetish - or maybe your Guster-loving friend Jim, who needs to hear some new music and, for God's sake, put down that goddamn hacky sack!

Rather than do the typical thing and dissect the wealth of American and British influences - from 60's pop to 80's post-rock and beyond - in the songs of Keep Color, let's look at one of the album's best qualities: its lyrics! In the world since the 2004 presidential election, where jaded and indifferent indie rockers with meaningless ideals write songs about even less, the Republic Tigers are in touch with their passions and unafraid to express them. Take this lyrical gem from Kenn Jankowski's radio-worthy second track, "Golden Sand":

"And could you make 'em dance / Turn your bleedin' hearts into some bleedin' hands?"

Yes. Yes, perhaps we could. Or sink your eyes / teeth into this solemn warning from Ryan Pinkston's "Made Concrete":

"Don't believe the scientists that tell you what to think / And don't believe the media that tells you what to breathe"

Stressed out? Well, so was I before I put this record on. Well, to be fair, I mean earlier today. This album didn't cure my stress by any means, purely because I wasn't stressed when I put it on, but it sure did help to take the heat off after a long day. And, if I had been actually stressed, it might've been like a therapeutic, indie psychedelic massage for my worried head. After all, the songs are too relaxing (without becoming dreary) to leave the edge on.

Yes, it's true that many of the songs on Keep Color are in the moody indie rock / dreamy pop vein, but they've each got something specific to say to you. Lush arrangements from the five piece band, 12 intelligent displays of pop hooks and lyrics, and female backing vocals ably provided by, count 'em, FOUR different, talented gals. Plus, the band gets bonus points for naming their album after lyrics in a particularly powerful track. ("Keep color" is sung during "Contortionists"), and the album did a great job of clearing out my 9-5 work day mind clutter as it played over my admittedly cheap stereo.

Hop over to the band's Myspace, heaw, to check out some of their terrific LP!

4 cheap shots out of 5 for The Republic Tigers' Keep Color.

Stand-out tracks:
"Golden Sand"
"Cast On, Cast Off"
"Fight Song"