Office - Mecca (2009)

I loved the Office's lo-fi glam on their last album, Putting On The Ritz. However, on Mecca, they have mostly ditched the glam in favor of upbeat indie rock. And as good as Ritz was, this one is better. For the most part, the album bounds along, bursting with hooks. Only occasionally does it slow down, like for the beautiful "Enter Me, Exit You" with its chirping xylophone and soothing vocals. slowing down. There are a couple great songs, like "Nobody Knows You", which rides a bright, shinny chorus and thumping drums straight into summer and the short "Dr. Drako", which wraps surf guitar and a chant-along chorus around rapid, tightly-wound vocals. Cryptically dark lyrics provide a bit of contrast, but are delivered with such enthusiasm that they rarely alter the buoyant mood. Oh, and you can download the album free from their label Quack! Media. Check it out!