Self-produced and recorded by the band in their Ann Arbor dwelling, SHORTHAND was hashed out late last year in a matter of days. Kicking off with "Rest Up," the album begins with a bevy of kitchen-sink type instrumentation - a bang here, a burst of guitar, the ding of a what sounds like a cash register - all carried on a dark groove while singer Jonathan Visger ruminates about Beelzebub and incriminating evidence. Flowing straight into "Bonemen," upbeat guitars and bouncy bass lighten the mood, however, one listen to Visger's twitchy paranoia-induced rants and it's apparent there is much more than meets the eye. The album concludes with "Traveling Men," a track propelled by a heavy drum beat and filled with swift starts and stops and an odd story about a wristwatch.

In March, the Michigan natives will head to Austin, Texas for SXSW for several shows. Upon their return, the band will join Cloud Cult for some gigs before heading to the studio to record their sophomore effort.