Bright and perky, this occasionally keyboard-laden pop-rock outing hits its stride quickly but also feels like it’s repeating itself before nearing the end of its 40-minute running time.
Holford’s got a knack for writing quirky acoustic numbers and parts of the full-band exercise “Neon Shining Star” suggest a mid-fi Sufjan Stevens. The disc offers some engaging take-outs (the comparatively grimy “Summer Storm,” the chart-ready acoustic romp “Moving Song”) but, in the end, some of the stabs at big Top 40 refrains, no matter how catchy, feel a little flat. – Punk Planet, November/December 2006
