*** The Hang Ups

SO WE GO

(Clean/Restless)

The Hang Ups' breezy pop sways like a porch swing in melodic arrangements as charmingly straightforward as the picket fence at the end of a summer lawn. Guitarist/vocalist Brian Tighe has a penchant for the jangly guitars and close harmonies of '70s pop. The coy bridge and slow fade on the title track feature shimmery guitar work bolstered by John Crozier's organ. On "Clouds," the band echo the folkish psychedelia of the Byrds.

What the Hang Ups lack in range they make up for in their unwavering dedication to pristine hooks. They master the sunlit romance of rural pop in "Sweet Tooth" and "Sitting in my Room." The latter relies on syrupy harmonies and Jeff Kearns's elegiac bass line to evoke the pastoral warmth of an afternoon spent meandering down a country road.

-- Craig Thorn