The Clean — Mister Pop

Mister Pop is a back-to-basics album for The Clean, coming close to their original EP recordings of the early '80s. The musical elements combine the simplicity of the Ramones with the quirky psychedelics of The Velvet Underground. "Moonjumper" is a take on both the drone of "Sister Ray" and the eerie tone of "The Gift." The instrumentation on "Tensile" is very Autobahn-inspired, complete with grinding organs and a walking bass and synthesized vocoder vocals.

Mister Pop is a mix of sly instrumentals and laconic vocal tunes that create stunning atmospherics. The opening track "Loog" features a looping keyboard rhythm and a horror movie organ blast. On top of this musical palette are female vocal "ahs" and "bah-bahs" that give the song a late '60s European tone. Scott's "Asleep In The Tunnel," a pastoral folk-rock tinged jaunt, is probably his best song since The Bats' 1993 album, Silver Beet.

Sure there's some repetition, especially the industrial-inspired "Factory Man" and the tongue-in-cheek musical question "Are You Really On Drugs," but this is part and parcel the world of The Clean. There's a joy in the simplicity of their arrangements that shines through. The Eastern-influenced raga that infects both the "In The Dreamlife You Need A Rubber Soul" and "Back In The Day" proves The Clean are still the masters of the pop song.

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