No Bad JuJu
No Covers
(Self-released)
The title of this local party-pop stalwart's new full-length is self-explanatory; while the polished eight-piece has a full repertoire of other people's songs it plays as part of its live show, those don't take up space on the CD. Instead, we get 11 well-produced, danceable tracks written by co-leaders Mark Matteo and Sabrina de Matteo, with tight playing all around. The album starts strong with the funky "Swept Away," which hits that perfect balance: a party rocker with lyrics that work, and that aren't trite. Some of the other tunes go a little overboard — "Hell Yeah!" brings the party, but also a handful of lyrical clichés, and some of the more serious and introspective songs can be melodramatic.
