Catchy power pop at its best!

Artist: The 88
Album: Over and Over
Label: Mootron Records
Tracks: 12
Length: 45:12
Review by: John Durkee

The Los Angeles-based quintet, The 88, knows how to write a catchy pop song. Virtually every song on their sophomore release, Over and Over is incessantly catchy and fun. Full of hooks and pop sensibilities The 88’s sound is reminiscent of the Beatles or the Kinks. Keith Slettedahl (vocals/guitar) is a fantastic singer, who knows how to control his voice and croon on the soft ballads, to be more abrasive in the louder rock n roll songs, but overall never over does any vocal style.

Dynamics, something seemingly lost in indie rock, are found throughout Over and Over, with many louds and softs throughout the album and within many songs. The pianos and guitars blend together with their melodies intertwining within each other, with Slettedahl’s great vocals focusing the melodies of each song.

Standout tracks include one of the catchiest songs of the year, the opener, “Hide Another Mistake,” the skat filled “All Cause Of You,” the unique and epic “Bowls,” and the hopping hooked “Haven’t You.”

The squeaky clean band has put out one of the better albums of the year, but it is not without faults. The 88’s greatest strength of catchy power pop songs is also one of its weaknesses as they’re not the most original, but boy, is it done well.