Those that have been on the internet a little while are well aware that Class Of ’06 BTW members Annuals are capable of a great song or two. So if we launched into a description of new tune “Sore” — from their forthcoming Wet Zoo EP — by talking up the track’s build from silent to grandiosity, and mentioned the swells, and noted the strings (all of which would be true) you might think this was “Brother 2.0.” But that’s not fair, and that’s why you just have to listen. You’ll hear a band that’s had a good sense of dramatics and explosions from the start, but is now learning to bring finesse to their dynamics.

“Sore” starts with hushed singer-songwriter intimacy: a simple trick of the acoustic guitar paired with bleeding heart prose (“The sorest of times / I’ve got your thoughts on my mind…”). Like recent single, “Nah Keysei,” the tune features instruments mirroring the vocal harmony. The second pass at the verse sees stitches of sequenced drums to update the string-laden sonics. There are live percussion builds and a key modulation. Even when it transitions into the “big” payoff, it’s a subtle sort of gearshift. “Brother” was picture perfect blogrock. This is just good music.

• Annuals – “Sore”Download

Annuals’ Wet Zoo EP is out 4/1 on Canvasback. For old times’ sake, here’s an Annuals/Grizzly Bear family portrait:

They grow up so fast.