“I have been trying to go with my whims… f**k it, let’s make an iPod album.” This statement from Team Genius leader Drew Hermiller was the jumping off point in the creation of the band’s debut full-length -- one of the most interesting and eclectic pop records of the year. “Basically it’s a reaction to the modern way music is consumed and listened to,” Drew says of the disc. “The idea of an album with a very focused sound and a big complete statement kind of gets lost now-a-days. Everyone just shuffles around, so I thought ‘why not write an album that does the same thing?’ Luckily, the band did an awesome job of keeping up with it.” The result is a single album that contains a multitude of sounds from funky falsettos (“Take Me Home”), to Celtic intonations (“Sing Song”), epic anthems (“ABC”), weird pep rallies (“The Wise Ones All Give Up”), two chord experimentation (“Meanderings and Musings”), ukulele folk (“Speak Softly”), and even a campfire sing-along (“While We’re Asleep). “Hopefully there is still a strong enough sense of our personalities and my quirky style of writing that kind of ties the songs together,” Drew muses. Those personalities are quirky, indeed. It was a boring winter when Drew enlisted his brother Chad Hermiller and their friend and drummer Scott Dyer (a 150-pound wonder - sometimes shirtless, sometimes suited) to form the trio that ultimately became Team Genius. The boys later welcomed Chris Hudik on bass and then added a much needed feminine element to the team when Erin Griffith and Emma Firth both joined in 2007. Team Genius released the Hooray EP to critical acclaim in early 2008. Furthering the familial elements of Team Genius, both biological and psychological, was the introduction of another pair of siblings in the form of trumpet player Rebecca Allen and her sister Elizabeth on a multitude of axes. As the unique personalities that comprise Team Genius emerge, you may find yourself curious about a history that mentions eight band members, photos that depict six or seven, and a stage show that can go from intimate affair to free-for-all. Truly, it’s all in keeping with the Team Genius ‘no rules, just rock’ take on what a band can be. Through it all, an anti-scene -- one contrary to the hipster-ism that draws so many college grads to Brooklyn -- was born. You see, the members of Team Genius are the nail-biting, hand-standing kids you sat next to in Algebra class, only now they’re doing pop culture battle with idiot-proof lyrics and an ear full of sound. The band’s poppy, earnest resonance smacks of the Ohio heartland, while its stark lyrics juxtaposed with infectious beats make both your noggin and your ticker move. Essentially, the Team Genius brand of geeky bravado conjures the kind of music you would have listened to in your high school ride (as long as you were in band or orchestra) and is the perfect soundtrack to an awkward first date. This is not to say that Team Genius tunes are in any way childish. As it is hinted at above, the band takes the statements it makes seriously. Drew comments, \"Lyrically, it’s about trying to operate by one’s own internal compass rather than what we’re suppose to think and follow about morals, rules, laws, and ethics. I think that dropping the traditional way of thinking and looking around for yourself is an incredibly positive thing and to a large degree I kind of consider that to be true intelligence. If you want a thesis statement for the album I’d say that ‘ABC’ is the best example. And ‘While We’re Asleep’ is kind of a redemption song. It’s basically about anyone who follows this kind of ‘live by your own rules’ logic and the possibility of them giving a hand to the rest of us sinners.\" Self-exploration via iPod has never sounded as good as it does via the debut album by Team Genius. Just make sure to check out the display once in a while to remind yourself that the bands rocking a Prince-ly groove and a Magnetic Fields folk fest are actually one and