The Neat
"You Are All I Need" b/w "Sunflower" 7"
(Gone Home Records)

(REVIEW BY LORD RUTLEDGE)

Alrighty, pop people. This one's for you! Portland, Oregon's The Neat describes itself as "equal parts Nick Lowe and Gram Parsons". Its nifty new single hearkens back to the AM radio power pop of the Raspberries and Badfinger (and genre greats of later years like Dwight Twilley and Material Issue). This is pop with a capital P: beautiful melodies, high-pitched harmonies, and silky instrumentation prevail. Don't expect monster guitar riffs, thunderous drumbeats, or furious breakneck tempos. Like I said: total pop. You might call it wimpy. Suit yourself. The same people who hate on the Nice Boys will no doubt deride The Neat. But, hey, I like the Nice Boys. And I think I might love The Neat!

"You Are All I Need" is perhaps the catchiest pop song I'll hear this year. It's got a nice country-ish twang to it, the harmonies sound great, and the melody has completely taken over my brain for several days now. Nice sissy-boy vocals, too, and there's some groovy guitar noodling at the end. "Sunflower" is slower and softer - less immediately hooky but still real purty and rich in harmonies. It's the perfect B-side: different from the hit, but highly appealing in its own way. In its sedate, elegant charms, it kinda brings to mind the baroque and psychedelic pop of the late '60s. The guitar solo at the end probably has George Harrison smiling from the great beyond.

If the job of a single is to leave the listener wanting more, than The Neats' latest has majorly succeeded in my case. I eagerly await a full album - and I fully expect it to be something special. Don't let me down, boys!