Contrast

One of the most progressive bands on the Rainbow Quartz roster, the Contrast again eschews the label’s typical brand of ’60s UK revivalism here in favour of a rootsy, yet punchy brand of decidedly American guitar pop. That’s especially curious, given that the band hails from the English Midlands, where front-man David Reid has been perfecting the art of pop composition at least since the early ’90s. The disc presents a dozen catchy, memorable mid-tempo tracks at times reminiscent of a more light-handed Dinosaur Jr. and not just because Reid’s vocal style bears a slight resemblance to J. Mascis’s mumble. Lyrically, Reid relies a little too heavily on the projective you-this/you-that technique of telling listeners what they’re thinking. His pen is at its best, however, when moralising with a slight grin, as on the infectious piss-take track "Functional Punk Pop Song.”