Originally conceived as a solo project of multi-instrumentalist Ryan Rapsys of Gauge and Heroic Doses in 1994, Euphone evolved into a three-piece with the addition of bass player Nick Macri (also of Heroic Doses) and keyboardist Jeremy Jacobsen (the Lonesome Organist). The Lakewood is the experimental Chicago band's first effort produced entirely themselves. Tools of Love uses vocals and psychedelic keyboards to simultaneously evoke the slick electronic rock of ZTT Records' heyday, Pink Floyd, and space rock like Her Space Holiday. The Lakewood is similar to other Chicago studio gurus' outputs, like that of Tortoise and the Sea and Cake, but Euphone's mix of jazz and post-rock seems more human. Jacobsen's The Baldwin Wipeout, for example, is a romping improvisational jazz piano piece that at moments sounds as if it is going to go into a Vince Guaraldi tune, and the record even includes a rousing cover of John Coltrane's Countdown. By the end, Euphone proves that Chicago's art rock scene is still going strong and refusing to settle for the mainstream. ~ Charles Spano, Rovi

1		The Lakewood Burning Bad Boy
2		Tools of Love
3		The Baldwin Wipeout
4		Homodulations
5		Fanfare
6		Countdown
7		Passing Notes