The Stereo's
No Traffic is one of the best, most melodic straight-ahead rock & roll records. Rock & roll, meaning 4/4 time, 120 bpm, straight-out-of-Des Moines pure power pop (with a slight, slight tinge of punk). And while their sound is as middle of the road as can be imagined, it never seems stale, and very rarely feels clichéd. Theoretically, it's as commercial a TV ad, but, alas, they've somehow been cast away on the punk-hardcore Feuled by Ramen label. Their insidiously catchy melodies are worthy of the greatest moments of cheese-fest bands such as
Great White (minus the spandex, whiny vocals, and wank-a-thon guitar solos) and as innocently minded as a three-year-old child. It's not self-indulgent, silly, or tacky. Nor is it boldly innovative. But it's so clean, so well produced, and so rock & roll, it's undeniably refreshing. Fans of
Weezer should put down their comic books and buy this album immediately. ~ Kieran McCarthy