In Medias Res is in no way new to the local indie rock scene. The local group released an EP in 2002 and their debut disc Of What Was in 2003, and have since been patiently fine-tuning their sound. In Medias Res are still indie rock, but they are not your skinny-stick-kids-with-ironic-glasses kind of indie; they have a sense of maturity in their songs that’s fresh sounding. Still, that doesn’t mean they don’t rock out.

Opener “The Final Flight Of The Bees” might not be directly connected to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebees,” but the group’s fast, high-pitched licks provide a buzzy rock sound. The rest of the album, however, is most comfortable with medium-paced songs like “Come Back Down.” These mid-tempo tracks give a chance for vocalist/guitarist Andrew Lee to really let his voice shine.

In terms of vocals, Lee’s voice ranges from the stadium-sized stretches of “This Could Be The One,” to subtle mutterings. On the melodic and mellow song “Tonight I Am New,” Lee’s yearning voice works well with the gentle guitar strums, while a chorus of the backup vocals envelop your ears in a reassuring warmness.

In Medias Res keeps things interesting with their constantly changing rhythms and atypical pop song structures. With surprising turns like the wild guitar solo in the initially sparse “Hollis,” IWWASWWFSO keeps the listener engaged throughout.