English Little League

Straightforward rock n roll / power-pop from the reformed "classic" lineup of the world's greatest indie rock band. This one's a charmer. Seems more akin to Pollard's solo stuff than any of the three GBV albums from last year, falling into the power-pop-lifer genre occupied by Minus 5, Posies, Steve Wynn et al. Lots of slower songs and playing up of the classic rock influence. Not my favorite, but a good number of solid, reasonably interesting songs. FCC clean. -Andy

**1 - (2:04) jangly, spacey intro into determined power pop
*2 - (2:50) building, happy, talky rock
3 - (2:16) quiet start, wispy but driving Steve Wynn-esque pop
*4 - (3:31) last-call bar-rock
5 - (3:19) theatrical midtempo rock
*6 - (3:19) steady groove, vaguely snotty vox Robyn Hitchcock style, scratchy rhythm guitar takes center stage, flows into 7
*7 - (3:24) monotonous riff, interesting production, head-scratching refrains
*8 - (2:26) slow acoustic moping with some serious lo-fi crunch
9 - (1:53) really fun, swinging rock
**10 - (3:36) slow horizon-gazer with big power chord pulls
11 - (2:12) nice but unexceptional pop rock
12 - (2:45) calm, momentum-shifting
13 - (2:16) slow, saccharine Tobin Sprout number with piano and strings, lots of Jesus in the lyrics
*14 - (1:47) sparse, dreary, lo-fi piano and voice; anthemic guitar moans come in for last half minute
15 - (3:55) concert rocker; stutters and jolts in and out of rollicking chorus
16 - (2:01) more piano rambling, this time with guitar, tons of vocal delay
17 - (2:20) glimmer of punk; uptempo aggressive rocker