"APPLESAUCER" captures all the elements of a great record: the songwriting, the lyrics, the performances, the emotions, and the sounds. With three songwriters (Adam Zabarsky, Scot Stafford, and Scott Ayers), the album has charming diversity, yet maintains song to song coherence. Adam leans towards Brit-Pop: "Spaceman" and "Lazy Jane" are prime examples of his tongue-in-cheek Weezer-esque lyrics and Kinks/XTC-style musical construction. Scot has a Syd Barrett/Bowie brainiac way of getting his demons out in songs like "Mountain Lake Park" and the space-oddity "Launch." Scott delivers his heart-in-hand to the listener through songs like "Dark and Rainy Town" and the sad and sweet "Blown Away," a la Built to Spill and The Beach Boys.

With Josh Kilbourn's charismatic drumming completing the quartet, these boys have drawn comparisons to The Beatles (ear-grabbing harmonies), The Flaming Lips (big guitars and atmospheric sounds), Queen (instrumental layering & harmonic bombast), and The Cars (punchy dynamics and irresistable hooks). Applesaucer's record doesn't need to grow on you, you'll know how great it is the first time through.