Musical interlude

We're less than two months away from the annual top ten albums of the year list, but I'd be remiss if I didn't strongly encourage you to check out an album that has best record of 2007 pretty much stamped across its forehead: Jackdaw4's "Bipolar Diversions."

Few albums hook me in from the very first listen, but this record pillaged my ears immediately and never let go. "Bipolar Diversions" is the kind of wonderful album that doesn't come along often, and when it does it makes you wonder why more bands can't or don't write songs like these.

So what the hell does it sound like, the zero people reading this are asking themselves. Well, it sounds exactly like what a flawless power-pop record should sound like: Instantly catchy songs, spectacular vocals and vocal harmonies on every track, unexpected tempo and chord changes and a melange of musical styles surfacing throughout.

That's one of the problems with many power-pop records, and for that matter, a lot of albums in any given genre: Any given album may have a handful of good songs, but everything runs together and sounds the same. Not so here. Jackdaw4 take power-pop and turn it on its head, with the carnival-like "Heimlich's Maneuver," the sunny Beatlesque pop of opening track "SOOMA," the whimsical "Jesus Wants My Soul Back" and the straight-up "toss a well-placed minor-chord in the chorus while incorporating a five-part Queen/Jellyfish vocal harmony" awesome power-pop of "Frobisher's Last Stand." Seriously, play "Frobisher's Last Stand" and attempt to remove it from your brain. Don't say I didn't warn you.

You may have noticed I referenced Jellyfish earlier. While the Jellyfish comparison gets lobbed at an awful lot of power-pop bands, there are really only a handful that actually merit that compliment of compliments, and with "Bipolar Diversions," Jackdaw4 is certainly one of them. With hooks galore, unique arrangements and backup vocal harmonies running rampant throughout the album, this record has the Jellyfish stamp all over it.

The last few years power-pop fans have been treated to such excellent records as Checkpoint Charley's "Songs One Through Twelve" and Millicent Friendly's "Downtime," two discs that were previously anointed as heirs to the Jellyfish throne. Well my friends, Jackdaw4 is this year's model. And if that means anything to you, you can thank me as soon as you get your hands on this album and listen to the first few seconds of it while a huge grin plasters itself across your face.