David Mead, "Girl on the Roof"
I picked up this record because it was produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), and...uh, yeah, you can tell. As Fountains of Wayne light, sure, why not? I have a limited appetite for this kind of pop rock, but hell, I can't say anything bad about it either.
Skavoovie & the Epitones, "Cat Juice"
I can't say for sure, but I believe that Skavoovie & the Epitones are the only band in the ol' library featuring a euphonium. Skavoovie are one of my favorites from the third wave because the horns are so fat and up front, the tunes are bouncy, and while they're not serious, they're taking the music seriously. They also tend towards the more traditional sounds of ska rather than a ska-punk hybrid, which has always appealed to me more. Of the three albums, the first two are my favorites, with Ripe probably the pick of the litter.
Eagles of Death Metal, "Wannabe in L.A."
I think there's an interesting contrast between these two bands. Both are clearly tongue-in-cheek, but I guess there's just a bit too much tongue with Eagles. They cross a line a bit for me, and I find it a just a little hard to kind of buy into it with them. I dunno, it's hard to put my finger on it. If you want sharp analysis, I'm afraid you're in the wrong place!
Mint Royale, "Don't Falter"
Mint Royale took some of the electronic sounds of the time (1999, in this case) and softened them a bunch, marrying them to a pop sensibility to make it all go down easier. But, in removing much of the edge, it ends up being pretty forgettable. Pleasant enough, but I'll forget this as soon as the next track starts.
Dawnbringer, "Nobody There"
What did I say about them last time? Huh. Yeah, that about covers it. This sort of heavy metal revival without really anything new doesn't provide a great argument for listening to it instead of whatever they are reviving. If you adore this sort of thing and want something new to listen to, sure. But that's not me.