Sputnik

I, Cosmonaut (Sound of the Sea)
by Nick Maglione

When your old man’s finally ready to throw away his seven-inches and admit he’s “Dad,” what better way to ease him in than some thoughtful, loud-ish pop? He’s too old for grindcore, but Sting is “absolutely out of the question.” Alan Grandy, singer/guitarist of Cleveland’s Sputnik, understands father’s plight well. He’s penned 11 cuts of completely unobjectionable, neutral pop tunes in the vein of The Church and The Smiths. And while the record offers not one ounce of frantic vitality or unabashed energy, it represents a sort of years-later attempt of some ex-DIY kids to stay relevant. And, yeah, they kinda do.
(www.sputnik3.net)