Cleveland rockers
Uptown Sinclair capture the chills, thrills, peaks, and valleys of their explosive live show on this enjoyable self-titled debut disc. Guitar-driven, hearty on melody, heavy on harmony, and unabashedly descendent of
the Hollies,
Small Faces,
Big Star,
Brian Wilson, and
Cheap Trick, cuts such as "Girlfriend," "Superman," and "Sentimental" are achingly familiar to anyone who came of age with ears pressed to a transistor radio in the 1970s or cheerfully endured the hair metal-meets-bubblegum revival of the late '80s. Lead voice Dave Hill is the consummate heartbreak hero. He loves, he lusts, he laments, and he hardly labors over lyrics that will never mount a challenge
Bob Dylan, Bob Pollard, or Bob Thomas. But that's not the point here. With the exception of
Lou Reed, who cares that these exuberant post-punk-pop pirates nicked the chords to "Sweet Jane" for "First Thing in The Morning"? It's only rock & roll. They like it, and you'll like it too. A guilty pleasure worth pandering to. ~ Tom Semioli