Human Highway — Moody Motorcycle

The best way to approach Moody Motorcycle is to check your expectations at the door. Yes, Jim Guthrie and Nick Thorburn are great songwriters, and the material here is melodic, light and fun. But that's about all. There's not much depth on Human Highway's debut — just insanely memorable choruses and delicately constructed harmonies. By no stretch of the imagination is this a bad LP, it's just one that reaches immediately for the throat and rarely lets go. The bouncy beat and breezy lyricism of "The Sound" could make it a surprise hit single. The title track is the only song that could be considered dark, and it still chugs along with as much pep as more upbeat fare like "Pretty Hair." This is a record that would play well during a lazy cottage afternoon or a patio beer-drinking party.