** Cockeyed Ghost

KEEP YOURSELF AMUSED

(Big Deal)

Equal parts pop and punk, equal parts good and bad, Cockeyed Ghost deliver an album that has as many peaks and valleys as the Rockies. At times, their combination of Beach Boys-influenced pop melodies with Buzzcocks-style fury makes for a smart, engaging mix, but too often the band slow things down to sludge. There are sporadic instances of excellent songwriting. Adam Marsland has a sharp, sly sense of humor that, for some reason, he often chooses to ignore. "About Jill," the album's first track, is a hysterical take on the indie pop scene, packaged in a big, beautiful melody. "Disappear" and the likewise humorous "Married Yet" are fun with their sing-along harmonized choruses. Unfortunately, Marsland also strays into slower songs like "Call Me Charley" and "Using You," which have absolutely no impact. "Dirty Bastard" would be rather touching if it weren't for Marsland's grating use of falsetto, which renders several other songs equally unlistenable. There's an excellent EP in here somewhere.

-- Kevin Finn