Buzz Zeemer - Delusions of Grandeur (1998)

Buzz Zeemer leader Frank Brown constructs melodic, guitar-based tunes that are hook-ridden and sophisticated enough to rise above most jangle and power pop fare. In fact, a good portion of Delusions of Grandeur makes one think back to the glory days of the guitar pop intelligentsia epitomized by Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. This isn't a retro record, however, nor is it overly derivative. Highlights of the album include an incredibly rousing cover of Allen Toussaint's "There Should Be a Book" and the impossibly catchy, hook-ridden "Mystery," which is augmented by trumpet and sounds like Burt Bacharach trying to write a hit for Big Star. Meanwhile, another highlight, "Red Balloon," is stuffed to the gills with chiming, jangling guitars and a sailing chorus.