Undermars

Vancouver's Undermars have a very good thing going for them. Their self-titled independent release is filled with plenty of pop hooks and rock riffs, making it likely to be a hit on mainstream radio here in Canada or the U.S. Their sound is similar to '90s college rock bands like Gin Blossoms and Better Than Ezra. "Goldenhair," their best shot for a radio hit, is a mid-tempo love song that is suitable for just about any soft rock radio station. Other songs, like "Soon," which resembles past efforts by Sloan, and "Ghostwriter," a more rocking Great Big Sea-type song, shows their gift for friendly rock tunes. Of course, there really isn't much to Undermars's sound if you look past the commercial appeal of the record, as none of the songs here really do much to keep the listener's attention. K.R. Perley's vocals are not strong enough to captivate and the instruments play nothing that hasn't been done before. Undermars is not a band that sets out to challenge a listener in any way, but if simple pop rock songs are what sell to the masses, this record has potential.