power pop criminals

THE SPONGETONES - BEAT MUSIC (1982)

Originally proud altar boys at the Church of the Holy Mersey, North Carolina's Spongetones — Jamie Hoover, Patrick Walters, Rob Thorne and McCartney lookalike Steve Stoeckel — have evolved from the zesty Beatlish originals of their first two releases to producing lush, superbly crafted pop-rock that owes a debt to other British Invasion acts (Searchers, Zombies) without coming off as slavishly imitative. "Beat Music" is a gas from start to finish, a collection of lovingly performed early-Beatles pastiches. Don't miss the high-octane "She Goes Out With Everybody" or the simply wonderful "A Part of Me Now," two of the greatest songs the Fab Four (and the Rutles) never wrote. "Beat Music" and their second mini album "Torn Apart" were fully remastered on CD as "Beat & Torn", with a previously hard-to-find bonus track. So far, the Spongetones have released more than 10 albums ("Where-Ever Land", "Oh Yeah", "Textural Drone Thing", "Odd Fellows", "Mersey Christmas", "Beat!", "Number Nine") everybody should own. Visit Spongetones.com or buy the cd's at Not Lame or any other online record store. They have just released "Always Carry On: The Best 1980-2005", a 26 song compilation that covers the entire career of The Spongetones. (Trouser Press)

Songs
Here I Go Again / Tell Me Too! / Cool Hearted Girl / Take My Love / A Part Of Me Now / She Goes Out With Everybody / Every Night Is A Holiday / Don't You Know / Where Were You Last Night / You're The One / Better Take It Easy / Eloquent Spokesman