Essex Green's unpowerful pop

Man, this band is annoying. From cutesy-everything to boring, kitsch lyrics to the damn flute that sneaks in every once in awhile, The Essex Green knows how to make a rut for itself. The sad thing is, the album seems to have a good premise. \nAt first listen, the clear prettiness of the sound strikes, lasting right about until you realize that while the songs are all structured differently, they add up to about the same thing. What's really disappointing is the little bits of promise the band shows that never quite come together. Vocalist/keyboardist Sasha Bell can hit the sweet note -- but only bothers to twice on the disc. Other times she's heard nearing delicate beauty but then just falls flat and plain, and some of the tracks are near monotone. Other times, the interesting quirks of drummer Tim Barnes pick up, just to be glossed over by some mediocre melody or cutesy bouncing guitar or keyboard part. A tip-off to the unbearable tweeness of the Green is the band's former association with Kindercore, a label with such prestige that it boasts the lameness that is The Four Corners. That's the problem with The Essex Green, the band shows a glimmer of hope, but then just turns lame. Maybe they'll figure out the magic of sustenance next time.