I really wouldn't mind if pop like this took over the airwaves. On its debut album, Everyday Behavior, Mêlée creates a familiar sound that is instantly recognizable, but nearly impossible to classify. It is composed of a variety of piano-driven pop and California rock, but is most adept at just creating catchy melodies.

The album begins with a couple of generic rock pieces, but really starts to take off when the keyboards make their entrance on "Perfect Mess." From there on, all instrumentation is pure ear candy with other standout tracks in "The Curse" and "Routines." While the music is generally very solid with some snappy time signature switches and bouncy piano lines, the lyrics found on the album aren't as inspired. Cringe-worthy lines like "She was the girl who finally came along / into my life and became a mystery / Can you be real enough / so I can hold your hand? / Hold you tight, close my eyes / and everything will be alright" found on "Sleeping Through Autumn" make appearances throughout the album.

While nothing special, the lyrics act merely as a vehicle to wedge hooks into your brain. The chorus to "Perfect Mess" is a good example with "This perfect mess / has everybody waiting for you to come be part of our world" being repeated to the point that it you'll be singing it under your breath for days. What I find myself comparing it to is another 2004 release, from Audio Karate. Their Lady Melody had similar clean production and hooks galore. Don't get me wrong, they're two very different bands, but the clean pop-rock sound is consistent in both releases.

Aside from a slow start and some trite lyrics, Mêlée does a lot right on this album, especially for a debut from such a young group of guys. They're a quality pick-up by Sub-City that will surely put out some excellent albums in the future, especially when the songwriting matures a bit.

MP3s
The War
Perfect Mess