5 out of 5

Label: Quote Unquote Records

Produced by: Nick Krill

I should hate this.  Shiny, happy, girl/boy twee pop.  Go to hell; eat it; take your pixie, pink-haired fans with you; grumble grumble Cave-In t-shirt.

…But a five star rating doesn’t seem like a usual expression of hate, does it?  And you’re already clued in: I said “should.”  So what determines tolerable pop for a black-hearted soul like m’self?  Well, it’s a rarity in my collection, ’tis true, but I think sharp production is key; a style that emphasizes the organic nature of the tune instead of polishing every aspect.  And a dose of weirdness helps – I’m thinking of Starlight Mints here – but ROAR don’t go in for the whole centipede-reference thing.  And besides: That’s a fine line before something feels forced.  So of this group, and this release, will require me to define another applies-when-I-want-it-to rule, it’s that I can be down with shiny pop when it’s short and to the point.  These five tracks are super short, most not stretching beyond a couple minutes, and while there’s a dose of goofiness, its very much to the point: Hooks are instant, the lyrics don’t stray into anything that’s too saccharine or too much of an attempt at meaning, and for the most part we’re just guitar and drums and keys, choice splashes of extras, keepin’ it simple – which is where the production, which is majestically clear and unfussy with the results – comes back into consideration.

Expanded to full length and including more flourish, ROAR makes a larger footprint i.e. a larger shoe to fill.  But this flash of pop goodness is so pristinely distilled for its precious few minutes, it overwhelms with cheery feelings that far outlast its runtime.