Artist The Saltshakers

Wilkey B. Godwin

Before heading into the studio to record the new Lights Out, Chad Curtis of The Saltshakers essentially re-made his band, enlisting former Box Social guitarist Nick Woods and bassist Jamie Owart. But even if the personnel is different, Lights Out is still very much a continuation of The Saltshakers’ 2007 effort Up All Night, leaning heavily on sugary power-pop songs that sound like Weezer with a brain transplant—or, perhaps more accurately, a land-locked Rooney. While the relentlessly peppy pace gets a little wearying after a while—a ballad or two might make all the hand-clapping and joyful choruses a little more dynamic—songs like “Californ-i-a” and “The West Coast” are fine beach party music even for soon-to-be-frozen-out Midwesterners.

Updated 12/08/2009