Stereosoul

East Coast power pop specialists Stereo Soul have a confectionary grasp on melody that can either endear or grate depending on the listener's mood. The songs on their self-titled debut deal with issues of love, life, and politics with an innocence that makes their often superficial protagonists — Internet chatroom sweethearts and subway-riding heartbreakers — disarming in an adorable pet kind of way. Musically, the duo is a testament to their extensive record collections. Keyboardist/bassist/vocalist John Moller and drummer/vocalist Gene Pompilio have the chops to emulate obvious heroes like the Cars, the Beatles, and the entire canon of early-'90s pop-rock heroes like Jellyfish and the Rembrandts. Their reliance on harmonies and hook-laden synth lines paint the record in a mid-afternoon sunny hue, and their infectious melodies teeter — enjoyably so — between stomachache and tooth decay. However, with frequent instances of "na, na, na, na, na" choruses and song titles like "(I'm in Love With A) Porno Star" and "Internet Life Sucks," the overall feel of the album shifts into throwaway-pop-novelty, making attempts at public grandstanding — the lifeless "Victims of Capitalism" — more like desperate shots at actual songwriting. Harmless fun if you're in the mood.