I Was A King - I Was A King (2009)

For some reason I never get tired of short fuzzy pop songs and that's just what I Was A King write. Select words from the song titles give you some indication of the music -- warm, golden, California, breathe, warm (again), anchor, summer -- but this isn't Laurel Canyon country or Beach Boys' pop. Rather, the music pulls from power pop, Brit pop, shoegaze, and, well, indie rock. The guitars bash around, but the vocals are smooth and rather pretty. It's fun with plenty of hooks, and just a bit too noisy to be twee.

I have no idea why they bury the lead single and killer track all the way in the back, but "Norman Bliek" is the track that made me check this band out. It has a fuzzy, jangling riff and is just damn catchy. "Not Like This" sounds like a Ride hit they never made. "It's All You" is another good song, which features Sufjan Stevens, whose music they don't sound like.