Pupa's Window and Private Eleanor are Baltimore-based one man bands, the respective projects of Michael Nestor and Austin Stahl, each of whom contributes two songs to the EP (one per side). The title's "versus" tag is actually a little misleading, as there's no overt competition between the two beyond vying for the listener's attention; indeed, Stahl and Nestor apparently performed and recorded their songs together, though it's unclear how much each helped the other.

Stylistically, the two are similar, though not identical. On the A-side, Nestor's "Stop Waiting For Coincidences" is shoegazer folk-rock on a budget, all cough-syrup-reverb wooziness, dreamy vocal overdubs and gentle, resolute guitar melody. Stahl's "Pictures of Our Inhibitions" starts out folkier, with an intricate finger-plucked melody. There's a flare-up at the end, though (relatively speaking) -- a climax of cymbal-clatter and bass accompaniment. Neither song makes a huge impression, but that may be because I listened to them late at night and couldn't turn them up very loud. (Nope. I tried them again later, louder, and it made no difference.)

The B-side is a bit more energetic. "Vladimir and Gabriel", the Private Eleanor track, is breezy and upbeat, albeit introspective, with a gently jangly acoustic lead and breathy vocals from Stahl. Pupa's Window follows with the EP's highlight, "A Good Dog". Think Radiohead on one-one-hundredth of the budget -- a glum, moody acoustic chord progression that screams "rainy day", enhanced by skeletal electric guitar accents and Nestor's tentative falsetto. It's depressingly beautiful, achingly sentimental...all that good stuff.

The production here is minimal, the mood cautious and a bit sullen; if you like your music confident and self-assured, you'll definitely want to seek your jollies elsewhere. On the other hand, if you're a sensitive type who doesn't mind getting out from under the covers every seven minutes or so to flip or restart the record, add Pupa's Window vs. Private Eleanor to your purchase list.