Power-pop done right, from a new band, is harder to find than it sounds. So, Shmohawk’s eponymous album really caught my attention in a good way. Featuring a comfortable cast of songs featuring rollicking rock guitars, soothing power-pop twangs, and flavorful harmonicas, John McFarland’s vocals add a constantly engaging element that acts like a mixture of Tom Petty’s suave infectiousness and Alex Chilton’s anthemic fervor. The first two tracks, in particular the crunchy chorus of “Herding Sheeple” and the longingly contagious “Everything I Want Is Nothing I Can Own”, showcase what to expect from the rest of the album — hook-filled greatness not common in today’s rock music. I made some lofty comparisons when I first heard them – to the likes of The Byrds, Big Star, The Replacements – and those still stand.
The Fat Angel Sings 