The M's

The M's debut consists of several older EPs padded out with newer material. Nevertheless, the album works as a whole, introducing rock fans to Chicago's latest power-pop gem. Like their predecessors (Material Issue, Shoes, Cheap Trick), the M's tow the line between glam power (massive riffage) and pop craft (angelic harmonies). And while the lo-fi shenanigans of Guided by Voices and the Olivia Tremor Control do exert an influence, the quartet jams too hard, too ragged to really be considered indie.