We Versus the Shark

Athens, Georgia, has a legendary musical history ranging from R.E.M. and the B-52's to the Drive-By Truckers and Neutral Milk Hotel. The latest addition to that elite group could be We Versus The Shark — if people are open-minded enough to listen, that is. Melding elements of psychedelia, punk, garage and roots-rock, the band's Ruin Everything! full-length is a musical rollercoaster that effortlessly glides through genres the way Britney Spears does custody lawyers. However, the best part about songs such as "This Graceless Planet" and "I Am At the Mercy of an Ambulance Driver" is the way the band maintains a lo-fi aesthetic without sounding forced or contrived — making one wish that every week was Shark Week.