Made up of Houston rock vets -- singer/guitarist Marshall Preddy, drummer Jeff Senske, bassist Johnathan Sage, and guitarist Chris Kahlich, along with newest addition, multi-instrumentalist Ben Murphy -- Bright Men of Learning inject a heavy dose of nineties indie rock into a blend of old-style pop and early alternative. At times, the music brings to mind Pavement and The Replacements, seventies-era Stones, and Big Star, but it also showcases the group's more modern appeal. "Right On!" and "Girls In Love" best reflect this aesthetic, while the very Stones-y "Geronimo" (which is almost too close to "Shattered" for its own good), "A Step Behind," and "For Real" show that the band members remain in touch with their musical roots. Houston Calling

Distant echoes of Black and Blue-era Stones, as well as the more re-cent releases from Pavement and the Replacements, are all easy to detect on this 11-song collection from this local quartet. Houston Press

Early last year the band formerly known as Chasmatic hit the circuit with a new name, a whole new batch of material and attitude (something their songs lacked). Now they've finally put it all on disc —and it translates. Bright Men are a rock band, but this isn't necessar-ily a rock record; it's more like campfire pop music. Lead singer boy Marshall Preddy's penchant for the all-too strummy guitar is all but erased in favor of more intertwined guitar work with Chris Kahlich, whose leads don't quite control every song but definitely guide them. All the songs, at that, are top-notch Preddy, who has been etching out his brand of country-fed rock'n'roll for well over a decade. 002 Magazine