This came out in 2001 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
That’s Smoother as opposed to rougher. Or, for that matter, sloppier and cruder. All of which fits with this glossy, suave major-label debut from this Hamilton electro-rock quintet.
In a dozen smartly written, slickly produced tracks, singer-songwriter Andrew Franey and his band culture-cross and genre-blend with boundless enthusiasm and endless inspiration. Simple, classic British pop sensibilities; complex Brian Wilson harmonies and arrangements; snappy industrial dance beats; Elvis Costello-esque songcraft; Beckish wit and folk-hop; dubby pop reggae; new wavey synths; buzzsaw Weezer guitars and nerd-rock lyrics about girls who are “cute like Betty Rubble” — all of it gets tossed into the mixmaster and spun into radio-friendly (if sometimes a tad unfocused) fare like Good Day, East Side and other sweetly crunchy musical treats that snap, crackle and pop-pop-pop like the top on a bottle of soda. One taste and you’ll want to drink it all in. Trust me, it goes down smooth — er, Smoother.
