review - Westside Daredevils' Twilight Children

It's said that Knoxville is known for its power pop; though I would argue that if Knoxville is known for anything it involves a toppled Sunsphere full of wigs, there is indeed a long tradition of sugary rock music in the area, and few active bands embody this legacy the way the WESTSIDE DAREDEVILS do. Though the spectre of Superdrag looms heavy in spots on their (for now) self-released sophomore LP Twilight Children (particularly in initial standout "Chicks In Time Machines"), the Daredevils crack the power pop mold in a few notable places: their busy, acrobatic melodies and harmonies dazzle throughout, and their song structures are peppered with abrupt (but expertly handled) shifts and stops. These strengths, however, occasionally double as liabilities; some of the melodies are so intricate as to be almost inaccessible, and the stuttering rhythms have a way of disrupting a song's flow. Familiarity solves these problems, though, and by the third or fourth listen the album reveals itself as an accomplished slice of light power pop, and an eminently qualified addition to Knoxville's grand canon.

RIYL: The Wrens, Superdrag, Big Star

MP3: "Sea Of Chrome" (2:58)