Review: The Click Five “TCV”

Pop rock/power pop
“TCV” is the third record from young pop rock sensation The Click Five, who first stormed onto the scene in 2005 with their commercially successful “Greetings from Imrie House”. These guys have a talent for whipping up a storm of crunchy guitars around classy melodies, which results in catchy songs that will blow you away. I also enjoy their fearless tendency to incorporate signature 80s sounds into their music.

Back-to-back power pop tunes “The Way It Goes” and “I Quit! I Quit! I Quit!” start this one with a terrific one-two punch. These songs draw heavily from their primary influence (Cheap Trick), and should get plenty of summertime airplay. The album simmers down for a while until the requisite power ballad “Don’t Let Me Go” cues up. It’s not one of their best, but a reasonable effort that breaks up the pace. In terms of the slower songs, I think “The World Comes Crawling Back” gets the best in show. “Good As Gold” is a break from their usual wall of sound - a stripped down acoustic-driven midtempo tune. Its positive lyric and charming melody makes it a keeper. A couple other highlights include the synth-infused “Way Back To You”, which shimmers with bright harmonies and an irresistible chorus, and the Bay City Rollers-inspired “Be In Love”.

Another very solid release from the reliable Click Five – let’s hope the third is the charm for this talented band. The Click Five’s brand of modern power pop should appeal to fans of Cheap Trick, Rooney, and The Raspberries.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10

The Click Five – official site

Check out the video for “Don’t Let Me Go”