Back in the mid 90s, a group sprung out of Philly called The Idle Wilds that went against the grain of the grunge fad. I consider their 1995release "Dumb, Gifted and Beautiful" to be a classic power pop masterpiece. Guitarist Adam McLaughlin is now sweating out his own tunes from his home studio in Chicago as The Weightlifters. The debut release came out in 2007 and he's already back with this new EP entitled, "O My Stars".
"O My Stars" took me off guard as I was expecting a sonic blast of crunchy guitar; but this is not the Idle Wilds. As The Weightlifters, Adam McLaughlin is not here to burden your ears with heavy noise, but rather to lift the world off your shoulders using his calming brand of breezy pop. The EP contains seven delicate tracks that are well-crafted and melodic. Adam performs these tunes as if they were played effortlessly.
Adam's vocals sound like a combination of Elliot Smith and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) - thin, whispery, and soothing. The musical style has a distinct indie pop feel, not too far afield from the likes of Spoon or The New Pornographers.
My favorite track is "Belle of the Wrecking Ball", a complete package with its instantly likable melody, wonderful harmonies, hand claps and tambourine. This tune in particular merges Adam's affinity for retro pop with his 90s alternate rock expertise. Another highlight for me, "Battlesong" also works well in this fashion. For those of you who love sparse acoustic pop, you'll want to check out "To Be A Killer" and "In The End".
So don't let The Weightlifters' name fool you. The music is not muscular, but what Adam aims to lift is your soul. Like its predecessor, "Last of the Sunday Drivers", "O My Stars" is a great EP to pop in when you need to wind down and relax.
iPOD-worthy: 3, 4, 5, 7
The Weightlifters on MySpace. Official site.
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