The economic downturn our country is facing isn’t shy about affecting as many people as possible. Ten percent of the nation is jobless, and Americans aren’t in the best of spirits as our country gets more and more politically polarized.

Trevor Ives, front man of Eau Claire indie pop-rock darlings, Meridene, chooses to turn the recession into lyrical inspiration rather than cynicism. Many of the songs featured on Meridene’s latest album Something Like Blood feature Ives’ signature yelp hovering above wild yet precise instrumentation with messages of warning and loss.

The album was recorded on a four-day stint at the home and recording studio of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. It was produced by Zach Hanson (The Gentle Guest, Laarks), and Brian Moen (Laarks, Peter Wolf Crier). The album was then mixed by T.W. Walsh (Portland’s Pedro the Lion, Headphones). Moen and Hanson’s local touch is ever-present on this pop-rock gem.

From the very get-go of Something Like Blood, the band is showcasing not only their catchiest stuff to date, but also that they’ve grown up and matured to a point where big pop hooks aren’t enough.

Where Meridene really shines is on their mid-tempo numbers, most notably on the title track. Drummer Dave Power’s rolling, steady drums accent Ives’ simple guitar strums and chords by keyboardist Paul Brandt. About two-thirds of the way through the song, a very “Transatlanticism”-era Death Cab for Cutie guitar line comes in giving the song an incredible rounded quality. The song is simple enough to coexist with the other songs, but interesting enough to not get boring.

Then the band kicks in what is arguably their fullest sounding anthem to date, “Gone, Baby Gone.” This track sounds like The Shins and Phoenix had a glorious child prodigy and named it Meridene. Following this is a full-embracement of folk roots that so many Eau Claire bands have adopted. However, what Meridene does differently is adding an undeniable pop-rock sensibility with an unquestionably catchy chorus that finishes with Brandt’s clever electric piano line and an abrupt stop.

The only place where Meridene falls short is on the second track, “The Truth The Dead Know (Come On! Come On!).” It sounds like they’re trying to be too clever with their songwriting. Adding floating horns and rock organ is certainly interesting, but rather than supplementing the tracks, it takes away.

Meridene is at their best when they keep it simple and catchy, and you’ll find that a lot on Something Like Blood.

So please, go out and buy it! Not only are you stimulating the economy, but also supporting good local music. You don’t have a choice.

“Something Like Blood” is available for purchase today.