I have a routine I go thru with new music.  I listen to it for a few days, then put it away for a while.  Several days or weeks later, it’ll come up on shuffle on my iPod & one of two things happens: I am tempted to skip it, or it grabs me. NoCo’s new release Level Up grabs me. This trio of Justin, Jack & Will was up against my band CCB in the Guinness Battle of the Bands Finals in December, and I was blown away by their live show.  I love me some power trio, but the energy these guys put into their show is just something special.  I remember thinking to myself that this is one trio that could easily carry a stadium gig with that energy.  So when Jack let me know about their new album, I was eager to check it out.  It’s not easy to capture live energy in a studio recording, but I’m impressed with how much of that they were able to do. While the playing is polished and the harmonies are tight, there’s a definite raw energy that comes through on all the songs.  Add to that catchy melodies & some really cool & fun arrangements, and it’s a killer combo.