Powerpop Review: Allrightniks’ Three is more than allright

It’s been a pretty good year for North Carolina area bands and their EPs. 2013 started off on the right foot with the release of Jamie & Steve’s Imaginary Cafe. Tony Lowe released Tone-wah over the summer. But when it comes to the EP format, no one has been more prolific this year than The Allrightniks.

Roanoke Virginia’s Allrightniks started off the year with Nothing’s What It Seems a do-it-yourself project from soup to nuts and, if you like straightforward pop with pleasing harmonies, interesting chord changes and hooks a plenty, this was your kind of release. Now, just in time for the holidays, they’ve given us another 6 song mini-album entitled Three.

“Would’ve Already By Now” picks up right where Nothings What It Seems left off, with its pleasing harmonies and catchy chorus. “Until I get to You” has a definite Spongetones feel to it.

The sinister sounding guitarwork in “Delaplane” sucks the listener right in, along with the opening line: “I’ve got a pocket full of secrets you can take back home, if you want to.” “Moonshine” is good, old fashion straight ahead rock. The EP’s catchiest melody belongs to “Something To Believe In”, a song about a crisis of identity and one that I’m betting Phil Spector would have died to get a shot at producing.

In retrospect, that may have been a poor choice of words. Picking up where we left off…

“Too Much Information” has some interesting tempo changes but it doesn’t hold up for me the same way the rest of the EP does.

Although I think they could take a few more chances, all in all, I’d say Three is a very satisfying listen and one of the more pleasant surprises from an area band this year.