100 Watt Smile ‎– And Reason Flew CD

The first track of this CD, "New Jersey," is about as drippy as alt/indie-rock gets, definitely from the riding-on-the-train-and-nothing's-happening-to-me school of Codeine-Ida somnambulation and low self-esteem. But it picks up from there (despite this band's cutesy-pie tendencies which, to be honest, are pretty endearing after all). Consider 100 Watt Smile a marriage between Sleepyhead and Veruca Salt.

They possess the same wistful lilt of the former and the same squealing libidinous overdrive of the latter. "Birthmark" is the champ in that category: a great riff with a great chorus but still some weirdness thrown in. "Dewlaps" is a perfect pop tune with unintelligible lyrics that seem to be about a dog (although they could just as easily be about a zillion other things). "Number 7" starts with the intro to their "Mod Lang" before spilling into some slightly annoying new-wave organ. Actually, eclectic instrumentation reigns throughout thanks to Breeder-on-sabbatical Carrie Bradley, whose violin on "Flagrante Delicto" gives it a symphonic touch. It's hard to beat the song about the doggie, however. File under "guilty pleasure."

Label: Trocadero Records

Country: Germany

Media Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)
Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)

Plays great but has a few superficial marks