The fifth album by Meligrove Band sounds so cute and youthful, it’s easy to forget that the Toronto indie pop band played their first show in 1998. Their relentless bouncy energy and playful rough edges don’t sound like the work of a group who’ve been slogging it out in a tour van for the past 16 years, and the many hooks crammed into every song suggest their songwriting well is in no danger of drying up any time soon.
Along with a plethora of catchy melo-dies, they also wedge the full spectrum of classic pop sounds into the album, from doo-wop to glam rock and from surf to power pop. Sometimes there’s barely enough space for the songs to breathe, but the band wisely leaves just enough room in their fuzz pop for the details to stand out. The only thing holding them back: they’re occasionally a little too silly to take seriously.
Top track: Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye
Meligrove band play the Horseshoe Thursday (November 6).