Abacus Rings puts out new EP

Britni Petitt, Photo Editor

If you search for Abacus Rings on Google, you won’t find much history. You’ll discover basic information such as, they hail from Boston, consist of four members, and not much else.

However, the members – Michael (drums and vocals) and Carolyn Ringel (keys and vocals), Douglas “DJ” Johnson (bass), and Bill Kane (drums) – produce a dynamic sound on their debut EP, “School Bells.”

While it’s a short listen – only four tracks grace the back cover – the EP offers a range of sounds and styles. Varying from folksy and Americana, to alt-rock and indie flavors, Abacus Rings successfully blends the genres into a dreamy listening experience.

From the very playful “Martian Baby” to the more melancholic and emotional “Way,” an R.E.M. quality in the composition Is noticeable. The vocal style, melody, and accompanying vocals complement each other well.

To sum up, Abacus Rings managed to do quite a bit within the limits of four songs for “School Bell.” Similar to bands like Simon & Garfunkel and The Beach Boys, it would do well played at an end of summer party.