Blank Pages, 45 and 33

“I put the needle down and in between the crackles and pops, I hear the way it used to be.” This is the way it used to be: catchy pop songs circa 1983, with touches of present day pop that make it fresh and delightful. Tons of melody, personal lyrical content, and well-crafted songs keep your toes a-tappin’. Lots of influences, from Beatles to Costello, without ever hanging on any particular style. I even heard some references to Replacements-era songwriting and production that make me wish for those days again — this disc is just the treat for that. Too bad more bands don’t write songs like this.

Not since the Bastards of Melody have I heard so many great pop songs strung together in an album. As I was catching up on my reviews, I found that I didn’t want to remove this disc from the player. I wanted to hear just what the next song was going to sound like, and guess what? They all have the goods. Man, isn’t that somethin’?