On their fifth release on their own label, Southern California's Pop Art continues a storytelling odyssey through light-edged bouncy pop, falling somewhere between 10,000 Maniacs and the Carpenters in provocative simplicity while not sounding particularly like either. Centering around the Steinhart brothers (Jeff, Richard and David), Pop Art expands to a sextet on this outing, adding more prevalent synths and jazzy piano to the soft acoustic setting they have championed since their 1984 debut. David Steinhart's dramatically impassioned vocals are what sets this band apart, wrapping around the clever lyrics and music penned by himself and brother Jeff. His emotion-wrenching vocal style bestows a live quality onto the recording and draws the listener into the passionate world that the band manages to conjure again and again. The Steinhart brothers have an uncanny knack for creating a catchy melody; no matter how happy or melancholy the subject matter may be, their music always seems to keep smiles on their faces. Top Cuts: "Neon Fire," "Wrap It Up," "The First Stone," "Four Parts Desire" and "Far Away."

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