Sound: A mixed bag of classic styles – folky pop with bright and sunny harmonies, plus rock that can be country-tinged, easy listening, hard-riffing, even spacey and grandiose (think Pink Floyd)
Playlist Partners: Elliot Smith, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Old 97s
Heavy Rotation track: “The New Underground“
Medium Rotation tracks: “Manifest Destiny“; “One Man Wrecking Machine“; “Satellite“; “C’mon“
Recommended: The familiar-sounding music and veteran-quality musicianship make Ganging Up On the Sun a fun and effortless journey. Upon closer inspection, though, some of the songs are underdeveloped and the wide variety of styles eventually feels a bit unfocused. Plus, the last third of the album can’t really hang with the first eight tracks.
Grade: B+