Towers of Hanoi
"Paranoia for the New Year"
Barracuda Sound

The latest cut from this Gainesville staple has a catchy title, but one that proves a severe misnomer. There is no paranoia here - rather, Towers of Hanoi offers hope that "rock 'n' roll" can salvage itself from the depths of nostalgia, to again become the blazing musical inferno it once was.

"Paranoia for the New Year" is an album that just plain grabs you. Jon Reinertsen's opening drum line on the album's first song, "I Just Ate My Only Friend," paints the picture clear - they're coming straight ahead, so jump on or get out of the way.

It's almost redundant to compliment Rachel Whitton's voicework, as the crisp force, full sound and pinch of soul does the job all on its own. But one would be remiss from at least making an attempt to impart how grippingly it comes across. Resisting this kind of appeal is like not answering the door for Publisher's Clearing House. It's a dumb idea, and you probably can't manage to do it anyway.

A powerful string duo manifests just behind her, in the form of John Whitton on guitar and Jason Day manning the bass. Though the six-string almost always takes the spotlight, the bass lines in "Paranoia" catch plenty of rays. Day's sound has just enough dirt behind it to jump out of the background and force notice. He's not doing anything revolutionary, but that it's evident despite that is all the better.

Queue up a track like "Danger! Danger! (Jeune)," and you'll find an earful of the classic modernist guitar that gives this album legs. Steady and strong, the airy flickers of high notes punctuate without losing the rhythm. And that's not even mentioning the creativity and fluidity with which every flare melds into the atmosphere around it.

The only complaint one can file is that, in a spot or two, they get a little too grandiose for their own breeches. But they can't be faulted - nobody ever did anything worth doing without first acting on ambition.

Available: At www.noidearecords.com.