Mighty Fairly: Perfectly Good Airplanes

Sunny California pop, say hello to catchy Midwestern rock! This trio from Minneapolis has ample chops and a knack for creating shimmering pop songs that nods to Brit-pop and is still very sophisticated. “Last Stand Started” is a great leadoff that sounds like a cross between Spoon and Canadian newcomers Mother Mother. Happy, cheerful, and infectious, the band’s harmonies are also fine, even if they sing that they’re not in tune during “Lackluster”, which is anything but. Also worthy of repeated plays is “Dosage”, which is radio-friendly but not too cheeky or sweet. Meanwhile, the trio of Mischa Suemnig, Kellie Nitz, and Justin Bell make some quirky rock a la They Might Be Giants during the tight “It’s a Shame” and the spacey, heady “Like a Ghost”. Fans of Peter, Bjorn And John should pay attention as well, and the mid-tempo but pretty “Do You” is hard not to warm up to. While it’s hard to pick favorites, “Movin’ On” is a great track that shows the band’s roots-y Midwestern, er, roots.