One of the more aptly titled releases of 1996, the full-length debut by Halifax, Nova Scotia's Shyne Factory (following a pair of cassette-only EPs) is a sugary blast of straight-ahead power pop. Sounding an awful lot like their compatriots Sloan -- only without that band's occasional feints towards grunge -- this guitar-bass-drums trio delivers one crunchy pop blast after another, each one filled with boyish harmonies and chugging guitar riffs. The lyrics, as usual in power pop, are nothing special, but the perky enthusiasm and catchy tunes usually make up for that. ("Infomercial," an interesting take on the usual lost-love tropes of the style, is an intriguing exception.) Shyne Factory doesn't do much new with power pop, but the group is at least as good as Marvelous 3 and way better than Semisonic. (Note: drummer Matt Johnson is, of course, not the guy from The The.) ~ Stewart Mason