Amoeba Teen

Amoeba Teen

Big Stir Records

On the sophomore album from Amoeba Teen, you get hopeful, happy, positive sounds. Even when the lyrics are slightly bittersweet, you can tell the band is going to persevere.

The single “New Material World” is great, all the giddiness and uncertainty of a new romance, with very confident music. “Putting The Kid Through College” could be about marriage or someone helping someone out as a partner, but marriage may be it, as the lyrics are nothing but love and devotion.

Musically, the band echoes everyone from Crazy Horse at their heaviest, to Jellyfish’s plush pop, to the power of the Cars, all with a good deal of themselves, making for a diverse set of sounds. It's enjoyable and Sean Lloyd's production is perfect, not a hair out of place.

This album is what pop should be like: fast, but controlled, smart, but never pretentious, enjoyable and with a lot of substance, and no synths. There should be more pop like this, that also rocks, and is the better for it.

Andrea Weiss