Pretty and Nice

Just so there's no confusion, let's get this out of the way: Get Young is one of the best pop records you're likely to encounter this year. Right from the start, this Boston trio make an exuberant and lasting impression, with leadoff track "Piranha" being lifted from its scathing garage verse with a goose bump-inducing falsetto chorus and snaking bass line. That's immediately followed by un-missable single "Tora Tora Tora," which doesn't lose its sing-ability despite countless spins. Really, the impossibly catchy hits just keep coming with the kind of vigour that's enough to make a pop junkie remember why the Unicorns sounded so exciting on first listen. Pretty and Nice may be just a shade more vanilla and bigger XTC fans but it's an apt comparison. Just like the Unis, this bunch mash up post-punk and garage sensibilities, and are prone to wry non-sequiturs. This record is an absolute joy from top to bottom and a wonderful surprise.