Palomar isn't going to change the world; they're not even trying, but they may just make it a happier place. On their sophomore disc, the N.Y. quartet make some of the jolliest punk/pop/circus music in town, and they do it all with a refreshingly free-spirited attitude. Eschewing finely honed chops and technical mastery for sticky sweet vocals and jangling pop sounds,
Palomar come off like a slightly drunk
Velocity Girl with plenty of heart. The 14 tunes on
Palomar II are all high-energy, fast-paced rock tracks with plenty of humor and cartoonish charm. The record is far from brilliant, but it is good fun, and the band is able to mix things up to the point where each of the songs is adequately original sounding. Like the Powerpuff Girls playing rock & roll, there's just something charming about this group that gives their record some clout. If you're looking for some delightfully happy rock & roll that is a bit less jaded than 95 percent of the other music out there,
Palomar is the answer. ~ Peter J. D'Angelo