Formed at the University of Maryland in 1989 (back when I was a sophomore at Mizzou), the Greenberry Woods got a big deal with Sire in the post-Nirvana "alternative" craze, released a couple of albums and never quite hit the big time. And then they wandered away.

The Greenberry Woods It's All Good, Sugar (Big Stir)

Eight years ago, the band packaged songs recorded in the way-back as House, but this is the first set of new material in more than 30 years. And it sounds it shit-ton like those great 80s and 80s power-pop types (Young Fresh Fellows, Matthew Sweet, Mayflies, etc.). In fact, if you told me these songs had been pulled from old tapes, I would have totally bought it.

So what we have is something of a modern simulacrum of those good old days, with one caveat: this is in no way ersatz or inferior. It fits right in with both of the "original" Greenberry Woods albums and plenty of other albums from the mid 90s. These guys still have a handle on how to create that off-handed, "we're just playing around here" sound. Not one single note feels forced.

Does this make the band a going concern? I'm guessing there won't be a long tour. But maybe another album or two. It's clear the talent and ambition are still there, and the results here shimmer effortlessly. Summertime has truly arrived.

Jon Worley