• Band / Artist : The Clintons – mySpace
• Genre : Pop / Rock
• Sample Track Download : Sex on the Radio
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

Sometimes my brain is all over the place. I’m sure the band will think I’m nuts, but when I first heard the first minute or so of the opening track, I couldn’t get the band Depeche Mode out of my head. That isn’t in any way a comparison, but it just goes to show what kind of weird chemistry my brain has sometimes. However the more I listen to this album, the more another 80’s artist comes to mind and that artist is Nik Kershaw. This is an album filled with that sweet, infectious pop that was so popular in the 80’s but feel out of favor for the longest time.

The twelve tracks presented on this album are filled with the kind of optimism summer brings. You know that perfect day when you open your eyes and just can’t wait for the day to start. The first track “Save the World” has that funky 80’s bass, popularized by Level 42. I know I keep sounding like an old fart stuck in the 80’s but I can only report what I hear. The track that follows, “Sex on the Radio” brought a smile to my face, before I’d even heard the song. I kept thinking of the punchline “but it kept sticking in my wife’s back”, but the song itself is one of the strongest tracks on the album as is the track that follows “Strange Day in Mexico” which has received quite a bit of podplay.

This is another one of those albums that has short 10-20 second tracks on it. It’s almost like a band that has some kind of contractual obligation to have a certain amount of tracks on the album and unfortunately, as is often the case with these mini tracks, it just sticks out like a sore thumb. It does however provide a way to grab free music as you can listen to clips up to 30 seconds I think on iTunes.

My favorite tracks on the album would have to be “Come with Me” and “College Daze”, but for the life of me, I have no clue what a Yeager Shmee, Shmee is, mmm! The first three tracks are also crackers. The album rounds off with the catchy “Abercrombie Jeans” which has a real country flavor to it.

Throughout the album, the vocals are top notch, as is the music. I have to admit, this wouldn’t normally be an album that I would have picked up, had I known that it had a strong country overtone, as I’m not a huge fan of country, but I’m always willing to be shown the light.

Conclusion : A highly enjoyable album and something to lighten those bleak days that winter brings.