Old 97's

Judging from the cover, I expected the Old 97's latest album, Satellite Rides, to sound like something straight out of the 1960s. The album is certainly reminiscent of those times, but it sounds more like an absurd mixture of Superdrag and the fictional The Wonders from "That Thing You Do!"\nPictures inside the album portray the band members as updated mods and gentle guys. These soft-spoken men sing of girls, the heartbreak they can bring and the excitement of new relationships. It's a classic theme for a "classic" band. Undeniably, it accomplishes what it appears to be reaching for. All tracks are solid pop tunes but never become repetitive. \n"What I Wouldn't Do" embodies all these characteristics. Although the lyrics are somber, the music is upbeat, with a solo sprinkled in the middle of the song. The girl trouble enters the picture from the start, when vocalist-guitarist Rhett Miller sings, I'm in love with you, but I don't know why it gets so complicated/though you have not left, you have said goodbye. It's enough to bring a tear to anyone's eye. But the Old 97's pick up the pace with a honky-tonk road song, "Am I too Late?" This time, someone kidnapped the girlfriend, which is not anyone's fault this time. Questions of fault aside, this track is one of many that show the band's versatility, although it never strays from a common theme.\nThe opening lyrics of "Buick City Complex" might startle some listeners, when Miller asks, Do you want to mess around? But don't be fooled; these guys are not sleazy. Sometimes they're hurt and bitter, but usually they need some reassurance. Musically, Satellite Rides doesn't offer anything profound or new. This album gives listeners reliable pop-rock that would be most fun live. People can easily dance to this record and even lean a head on someone's shoulder as if at a high-school dance. It's that fun.