It has been five years since what started out as a part-time project between Armistead Burwell Smith IV of San Diego’s 3 Mile Pilot and Rob Crow of Thingy and Heavy Vegetable known as Pinback began and about two years since we last heard new recorded material from the group in the form of the album Blue Screen Life.

Throughout their releases, Pinback has maintained a distinctive sound. Light and poppy in regards to both musical and vocal style, Pinback has separated itself from most conventional bands with its strong attention to melody and harmony. Guitars are used to create more than simple chord progressions that develop a shell of a song, they also produce the melodies the help fill them. Add to that foundation the dual vocal harmonies and a tinge of the electronic and you really have a recipe for the enjoyable.

While it is true that all Pinback songs can be traced to the same method of light, breathy vocals over melodies and structures that give of an air of simplicity, there is a definite progression from their initial release, Pinback, to Blue Screen Life, and now to the Offcell EP. The songs from the various albums do all manage to give off the same feel, but when you really listen to them, it becomes clear that while Pinback songs still project that simple sensibility, they are doing it with increasingly complex compositions.

Offcell’s songs feature more layers, all carefully balanced to insure the projection of a single sound. With its noisy breakdown — at least by Pinback standards, "B" features more distortion than any other Pinback track since the song "Crutch" on their debut release with its fuzzy bass line. Toss in the quick, rapid-fire attack of the vocals and "B" is easily the catchiest song on the entire recording.

The other tracks on the EP aren’t to be quickly dismissed however. The epic closing track "Grey - Machine" features a long slowly developed progression of piano, strings, and guitar. As a whole, Offcell is a solid piece of work featuring incredibly catchy melodies and an overall progression that almost seems to mirror that of the group’s entire career.