Plateaus

The Plateaus' self-titled debut is a fun blast of power pop with a snarling punk attitude that doesn't break any new ground whatsoever, but does kick you nice and hard in the heart for about 27 minutes. Inspired by all the great power pop bands like the Records and the Nerves, melodic first wave bands like Buzzcocks, and the tragic Exploding Hearts, the San Diego band has more than enough energy and hooks to swerve right around any copycat charges to deliver a bracing batch of tunes that feel like long-lost radio hits. Switching back and forth between big, dumb rockers ("Suzy," "Blackout") and moody, midtempo janglers ("The District," "Better Things"), with the occasional side trip to the beach ("Beach Coma"), the Plateaus have just the right blend of heart and fight to make the album a worthy successor to the works of the bands that inspired them. They may not be quite on the level of, say, the Exploding Hearts, but they aren't too far behind and that's plenty good, and definitely close enough for rock & roll.