Album Notes

Sunny Sunday Smile, Vol. 2 is a pop music lover's dream, offering 21 songs from ten certified gushy pop bands. The lineup includes Insta (formerly Kitten Factory), Minithin, The Cinematics, Class, The Proctors, Honyrider, Sugarplant, Maylove, Mrs. Kipling and Tokidoki. The only band I know well among these is Class. The three Class songs on SSS can be found elsewhere, but they're good, so this isn't bothersome to me.

I like most everything here -- particularly The Cinematics, who remind me of The Sundays, for whom I have a particular weakness. "Disjointed" is beautifully melodic and tenderly sung. The gushy strings in the middle are just the right thing. "Sylvia's Waiting" starts out a bit like Komeda but turns out to be more gentle and less quirky. I also like the Mrs. Kipling stuff. "Human After All" is just a touch punk and more than a touch happy pop. I hear a bit of Brent's T.V. or Sweet Baby here. It's positively infectious. Sunny Sunday Smile, Vol. 2 is a great little pop compilation -- and everyone should have a copy.