By Zac Taylor
Managing Editor

Strong vocals, radio-friendly harmonies and jangly pop guitars make the Changing Clocks self-titled EP a smooth listen through all five tunes. Lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Matt Rod shows off an educated, eclectic style of composing, which shines on the brooding second track “Anne.” The South African-born frontman manages to pull of some tasty blues fusion licks without getting in the way of the song; not to say there aren’t some nasty solos that would maybe make Scofield raise a brow. The alluring interaction between Rod and female vocalist Erika Cole, especially on the tunes “Rescue Me” and “Blooming,” weaves through the tracks nicely. The dynamics that drummer Seth Botos lends to the orchestration, coupled with some spooky textures from backing vocal effects round out the band’s overall dark and soulful sound. An exceptional first effort from a gang of musicians who still attend Berklee.