Arc Angels, Electric Touch

Electric Touch, the eponymous debut album by the Austin-based four-piece that has the pleasure of touring with fellow Austinite Charlie Sexton's reunited Arc Angels for this short Texas-wide jaunt, reaches a level of sophistication to which most new(ish) bands can only aspire.

In opener "Love in Our Hearts," lead singer Shane Lawlor's gritty voice—easily comparable to that of a young Robert Plant or Mick Jagger—commands the listener's immediate attention: "I don't want no one unless I got you." A mix of blues, Britpop and rock and roll, it's a perfect introduction to Electric Touch, the band and the album.

No matter how poetic the lyrics get, though, the music of Electric Touch never loses its intensity and sensual undercurrent. Electric Touch also manages to capably capture the band's lively stage presence—quite an impressive feat for a group that has been together for barely a year.