The Wellingtons - For Friends in Far Away Places (2006)

Tight power pop tunes are the order of the day on this disc commencing with the chipper "Top 10 List," featuring the great harmonies of vocalists Zac Anthony and Kate Goldby. Meanwhile, the band makes the most of the glossy and shimmering "Sight for Sore Eyes" that has a beefy slab of jangle-saturated guitar driving it along. However, the great power pop of "Singer in a Cover Band" is a bit over-produced but the band manages to hit a home run with it. Think of a Weezer-lite track and the song's sound and style become clear. Even the brief, Green Day-ish "Girls in Magazines" works despite clocking in under 60 seconds. But while well executed, a few of the latter tracks seem to blend into one another rather easily, especially "Penny" that has some pop but isn't jaw-dropping by any stretch of one's imagination. Fortunately they shake off this malaise with Goldby leading the way on the bubbly "The Nice One" that has a certain roots rock flavoring throughout. The Wellingtons close the record with a great piece of work titled "She Gave Up" which is bound to have many heads bobbing along to this bubblegum pop ditty.~ Review by Jason MacNeil