Tim Schweiger And The Middlemen

Give Milwaukee stalwart Tim Schweiger credit: The title of his 2010 album, The Big Letdown, practically dares the former Obsoletes mastermind to create an album that’s anything but. Luckily, Schweiger and his trusty band of Middlemen quickly prove themselves up to this self-imposed challenge. Album opener “I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend (I Wish Our Friendship Would End)” sets things off with a bang, wonderfully recalling the bright, sticky-sweet ’90s power-pop of Bob Mould’s Sugar. Shimmering guitar hooks and a bouncing rhythm section perfectly complement Schweiger’s earnest vocals, which hew closer to those of Mould’s former Hüsker Dü bandmate, Grant Hart. Other tracks, like “Waiting On Allison” and “D’jango Fett,” add a healthy dose of crunch to the proceedings, resulting in loose-limbed stomps decked out with gooey, mile-wide choruses.

Updated 02/08/2012