"Hard Numbers," the debut from Stingray Green, sounds as if it was dug up from a time capsule planted 30 years past. The Minneapolis quartet, which features members of beloved '90s cartoon band the Vandalias, hearkens back to the days of lush FM power rock just before disco seized the airwaves. Stingray Green manages to accomplish this feat with staggering ease and it's all devoid of any hipster irony that would cause them to be nothing more than a one-note joke.
The album opens with "I Can Count On You," which is filled with soaring, Beach Boys' style harmonies and is a splendidly well-crafted pop song. "Go Home" is perhaps the greatest song that Cheap Trick never created, while "Good Intentions" would be a worthy addition to Queen's oeuvre, complete with serious falsetto vocals. The album's best pop song, "Something Else," shows off the group's talent for penning sugar-coated melodies that belie the dark lyrical content (How come you're my everything?/And I'm just your something else?).
Stingray Green wears their influences so prominently on their sleeves and pull it off so well it's hard to believe this disc was recorded in 2006. It's a testament to this group's talent and ability to write enduring classic rock songs. Highly recommended for serious of fans of '70s rock and pop who can't stomach the repackaged look and sound of most retro scenesters born in the Reagan era.
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