There are so many three piece bands in existence that you can't help but wonder if it's still possible for a band to create something original with the regulation guitar, bass and drums combination. The answer, of course, is yes. Mix unique vocals with poignant lyrics and unusual melodies and voila! -- you've avoided the cookie-cutter trap.

The Elevator Division is one band that hasn't succumbed to the evils of the three piece mold. Perhaps this is due to the fact that they only recently made the shift from quartet to trio. When their lead vocalist and keyboardist jumped ship, guitarist James Hoskins stepped into the void, and the three piece version of The Elevator Division was born.

On this first outing with their re-tooled (and reduced) lineup, The Elevator Division recalls the really early work of Toad The Wet Sprocket (remember them?), blended with a bit of Death Cab For Cutie and the tiniest smidgen of Radiohead's Pablo Honey. If you listen very closely you'll also hear a bit of The Cure on "Asleep At The Wheel" and "Burning Bright".

One of the strongest tracks is Movement's brilliant opener, "Mute", with soaring vocals reminiscent of Tears For Fears. Other bright spots include the distortion-heavy "Eighty-Eight", the appropriately lonesome "Alone" and the aforementioned "Burning Bright".

Lyrically, there's not a cheerful song in the bunch. It's as if the boys of The Elevator Division were having an incredibly awful day and wrote all the songs in a single sitting -- then returned on a more bearable day to add uplifting melodies to a few of the gloomiest tunes. I wouldn't recommend listening to Movement if you're feeling extremely depressed (it'll make it much worse) or if you're the having the best day of your life (it'll kill the mood). Our more stable readers, however, should consider Movement recommended listening.