The Melismatics – Mania! (Pravda)

Fans of hooky pop will surely embrace The Melismatics. Though having been around for over a decade, I am surprised that their brand of catchy music has taken so long to catch on to a massive scale. These songs give Gaga a run for her money on sheer accessibility. Fans of vapid, useless TV shows like The Real World or Gossip Girl should be familiar with the voice of Pony from her other project, Pony Up. The dual vocals of Pony and Ryan Smith, however, have a wonderful dynamic. “Face To Face,” bears a resemblance to Superchunk. It would have fit right into “alternative” radio in the early nineties. After that, Mania! is an album begging for current heavy rotation. Single “Your Love Is A Poison,” is almost Katy Perry on steroids.

“Out Of Yer Mind,” and “Divided Devotions,” are ridiculously fetching tracks. As I write this, I am almost disgusted with myself for liking this. The jaded “adult” I have become is rolling his eyes and gagging but I can’t help but be transported to a time in my head when I was raised by MTV and loving every minute of it. The Melismatics are just so palatable that even the most sour critic will have a tough time not becoming enamored with their irresistible brand of indie pop.