Lungs for the Race
by Kenyon HopkinIf you slowed down the tempo of indie rock bands like Pavement or Sebadoh, it would probably sound like the unhurried debut from Havergal. Ryan Murphy (who also runs Western Vinyl records, through which he released his first two 7"s) steers these lo-fi arrangements, sounding like a lonely soul from Slackerville. His drum machine provides static, while Murphy's lyrics are often a downer, singing verses such as "hey kids don't grow up like me/'cause I haven't stretched a single inch."