Formed in December 2007, Indiana's Matt Mitchell Project (MMP) has just released its first album. Simply put, if you like melodic rock with its roots in American power-pop (Raspberries, Big Star, Cheap Trick) as well as English "guitar bands" (Beatles, Oasis, et al), then you owe yourself a listen. Without a duff song over its 10 tracks, MMP prove themselves a band to watch with this self-titled debut. Each tune is built on straightforward drum beats (both live and programmed), sturdy bass lines, loads of strummed acoustics and tastefully picked electrics, light keyboard/synth shadings, and most crucially, superb and memorable melodies. Simple in concept, but very difficult to pull off with any consistency (especially when it comes to melodies), MMP has no problem drilling their catchy songs into your head over the course of its 40+ minutes. Opener "Back To Me" sets the template, with its stately (programmed) beat, layers of acoustics, and keyboard colorings backing up an Oasis-worthy melody. From this point on, the songs show their American (rather than English) roots, as "Glad You're Gone" uses crunchy power chords, an organ-led middle eight, and a tasty, concise guitar solo to conjure up memories of the Raspberries and their cohorts. "Top Of The World" employs a gorgeous chorus to go along with its chiming electric guitar work. "Keep Your Head" sounds like a radio-ready rocker, while change-ups are thrown with "If You Leave Me" and "The End," as they employ just Mitchell singing over his acoustic, with the former adding in some nice piano in the background, while the latter gains texture with the addition of a violin. "Life In Stereo" also throws a curve with its dancey beat and spoke-sung verse. The songs alternate between melancholy reflections and more hard-charging declarations, but whatever the approach, melody takes the day. And it should also be noted the production, courtesy of the local boys at Azmyth studios, is superb. With this debut, the Matt Mitchell Project has put itself forward as band to watch.

The Matt Mitchell Project will be performing during the Broad Ripple Music Fest at Indy CD and Vinyl on Saturday, October 17th at 1 PM.

Aside from Sonic Youth, no indie-rock band has been more consistent in output over the last 25 years than Yo La Tengo (indeed, how many bands even survive for ten years, let alone 25). Popular Songs is Yo La Tengo's 12th album (or 16th, depending on how you count 'em), and the band shows no evidence of resting on their laurels. As is their tendency, Popular Songs again shows the group taking on a diversity of styles, from fuzzy noise-pop ("Nothing To Hide") to shoegaze ("More Stars Than There Are In Heaven") to waltz-like folk ("I'm On My Way") to psychedelic rave-ups (opener "Here To Fall"). They even add in a bit of Motown funk with "Periodically Double Or Triple". Through it all, the band unfurls their gorgeous, often lighter than air melodies and harmonies, courtesy of the husband-wife team of Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley. Indeed, when they sing "Why don't we float up into space. . . for an hour," this album largely invites the listener to do just that. The oddest thing about Popular Songs has to be the sequencing, with the three longest songs also being the final three tunes on the album. And while the aforementioned "More Stars. . . " is a superb tune with great guitar work from Kaplan that never wears out its welcome over its ten minutes, the final two tunes do tend to meander. "The Fireside," in particular, tends to drag on for its eleven-plus minutes with its classical-folk guitar shadings recalling, at its best, the work of Leo Kottke and John Fahey and, at its worst, new age jazz. That said, there is more than enough here to once again confirm Yo La Tengo's ability to put forth original tunes while also paying respect to the musical roots from which they were born. If they continue on for another couple of years, they'll be ready to do a covers album of their own tunes.