Has it been seven years since this ballsy Jersey City, New Jersey power pop foursome's second LP, Break Up? And they took three years off from gigging, too. This may have figured into their new third LP's title, but Bastards of Melody have come back rejuvenated. Paul Crane and company taper back a Cheap Trick/Replacements jag for a ringing-guitar, rockin' '60s pop paradigm, without losing the garage chops and sunny melodies -- even on the lighter fare, such as the Byrds-ian acoustic-bop of "Gateway Center" and "Flunkin' Out." You could see them supporting Sloan now instead of Paul Westerberg, on the bouncy, upbeat-in-spirit/bittersweet-in-lyric "Exit 10," or the more hard-kicking "Cut and Paste" and "Little Truths." Crane has a classic power pop voice, too, like Sloan's Chris Murphy, and importantly, the band's strong harmonies are as terrific as their Toronto cousins, too. Pure power pop for now people.
© Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover /TiVo