Nearly three full years after the release of Earlimart's critically lauded 2004 album, TREBLE & TREMBLE, the Los Angeles-based indie-rock ensemble unveiled MENTOR TORMENTOR. Led by singer/guitarist Aaron Espinoza, the group continues to easily and correctly garner comparisons to artists such as Grandaddy, Sparklehorse, and, particularly, the late Elliott Smith, but it imbues its songs with a catchy, pop-savvy sensibility that allows Earlimart to stand outside of the shadows of those well-regarded acts. Highlights of TORMENTOR include the upbeat "Answers and Questions," which reveals a subtle New Wave influence, and the wistful, string-tinged "Don't Think About Me." One of those bands that seems perpetually on the verge of breakthrough success, Earlimart is sure to gain new admirers with this dynamic and assured outing.