Sheboygan
Self-titled EP (2004, self-released)

Sheboyban is a 3-piece pop outfit from Austin and this being their debut 4-song EP. Apparently the band members all sport music degrees of some sort though you shouldn't expect this album to be complicated or pretentious in any way. These guys play straight-up power-pop with timeless harmonies and hooks reminding me of the last Rosenbergs or Mockers albums or if you prefer your references broad, Jellyfish and Matthew Sweet. The opening 'Why Do I Wanna Do' is a love/crush song with great ooh-aah backing vocals and jangly guitar. 'Time To Die' has a slight 50's diner doo-wop feel to it with woozy guitar and the band harmonizing on the latter half of the song. 'Latest Obsession' follows suit and finds the band drowning one's sorrows in the sauce over 'that girl'.

Sheboygan is rather predictable in approach but flawless in execution and usually I enjoy this type of pop in small doses but this had me itching for a full-length. The production was quite crisp due, in no small part I am sure, to underground pop utilityman Darin Murphy. Let's hope they got more of this in them.

-Beat 5/30/05