Punk pop is inherently a limited form musically – hooks + energy = a raucous good time (hopefully), and there aren’t many other elements you can add that don’t compromise the aesthetic. For a band to elevate itself above its peers, it has to have one main thing: excellent songs. With a keen sense of melody and ambition to write about subjects beyond cars, girls and rock & roll, Santander, Spain’s Pulsebeats are on their way to that milestone with Lookin’ Out. Songs like “Life As a Movie,” “Reason to Believe” and the title track probe deeper into their protagonists’ emotional lives than listeners might expect from a band this straightforward. Even tracks like “Burn the Guy,” “(She Sings Like) Joey Ramone” and “Hot Glue It!” have more going on than their cheeky titles suggest. Not everyone looks for deep meaning in their garage rock, of course, and those folks will still be rewarded by singalong melodies and a high energy attack. But if you want to ponder the meaning of life a bit while you pogo, Lookin’ Out fills your bill.
