The New Jersey band's raucous blend of Cheap Trick's power chords, the Byrds' ethereal jangle and CSNY's airy harmonies was different, half a decade too early for the New York-based garage revival of the early 00s, and a decade or so too late to be in sync with the West Coast's Paisley Pop movement. No wonder this self-recorded, self-released gem of the power pop art fell on mostly deaf ears, lauded by a few Jersey visionaries, hailed in Germany but completely ignored by commercial radio and MTV.
It's too bad, because if there ever were a record tailor-made for blasting out of AM radio on the way to the beach House of Vibes is it. From the first crunching chords of "Out of Day" through the last feedback tripping psych solo of "Walking in the Crowd", the record balances precisely at the tipping point between rock and pop. It's the same enticing ground that the Who covered in their classic Sells Out, simultaneously hard-edged and accessible, blossoming with melody and rackety with drums. And along the way, the band cranks out half a dozen classic songs, "Salad Days", "Close Descending Love", and "Don't Belong."
This is a truly stunning album and the fact that this band are not massive is tragic as well as kinds cool as it keeps us who are in the know part of a very exclusive club. Buy this album today, you will not regret it. Sealed from the factory - limited to 300 copies - on audiophile 140g black vinyl - now with extra smooth polylined inners to ensure maximum quality. Only £19.99 including FREE worldwide postage.
