This is a bit of a difference release from the excellent Keep Recordings. Aside from the wonderful packaging, this doesn't remind me of anything else they've done. Jesse Thomas constructs songs from a variety of drum loops, guitars, and his voice. On these eight short songs he tries out numerous styles. All of this is pretty lofi, and I think it'd be served better in a higher quality setting. That being said, Thomas is a good songwriter. He has a good sense of melody and writes some really catchy stuff. "From the Top of the Awesome" opens the album and is the best offering. Quickly strummed guitar starts it out as bass fades in slowly. But this song gets a swift kick in ass when the muddled breakbeat sneaks in. I can't help but bob my head - this is great stuff. It's an instrumental track, but at just over two minutes it works perfectly. Another high point is "Semi Permanent," which matches funk-inspired bass with a casio beats. It's another catchy song. In fact, most everything on here is catchy. Overall, "Excelsior Effort" is a quality debut, and though it's sometimes inconsistent, it's definitely worth a listen. I expect his next effort will be superb. 6/10 -- Brad Rose (11 June, 2005)