NRBQ

NRBQ

If the Beatles had never had a hit single, their careers might have resembled NRBQ's. <i>NRBQ</i> is the indefatigably tuneful if willfully unclassifiable and slightly demented underground pop group's first full-fledged studio album since guitarist Al Anderson departed for Nashville's presumably greener pastures in the mid-'90s. He's been replaced by Johnny Spampinato, younger brother of founding bassist, Joey Spampinato. The Spam brothers and pianist/cofounder Terry Adams take up the slack with an unpretentious, enjoyable program that showcases the band's penchant for pure power pop ("Sail On Sail On," "Pain," "Take Me to Your Secret," "Blame It On the World") and goofball humor ("Housekeeping," "Birdman," "I Want My Mommy"). OK, so it ain't the second coming of <i>Rubber Soul</i>, but the Fab Four never had more fun than these perpetual adolescents do. <i>-Rick Mitchell</i>