The Rationales, "The Going and the Gone"

Power pop must be one of the most misunderstood but highly debated genres in music. On the one hand, you have a vast number of people who've never even heard of such a thing and who might assume you're talking about--heaven forbid--pop music or whatever best-selling dreck is inevitably dominating the charts. On the other side, you'll find passionate defenders willing to spend hours arguing over the merits of Alex Chilton's career choices.

This second group, despite appearances to the contrary, will likely agree on one thing: Power pop is the best music in the world. And when you find a band that carries on that wonderful tradition, you listen to them, support them, and treasure them. Such a music fan would be advised to check out The Going and the Gone, the debut EP from Boston-based band the Rationales.



The Going and the Gone kicks off with a confident, luxurious mesh of guitars on "Guardrail," followed by the boisterous bounce of "No Guarantees," which comes with a chorus that any barfly should be proud to shout out at their favorite watering hole. The Rationales sustain this wave of racuous, infectious energy throughout the EP--which might be why the closing track "Ruby Colored Halo" comes as such a surprise and a delight. Featuring lovely touches of slide guitar, this sweet, folksy number offers another view of the Rationales, supplementing their power pop chops with poetry as well.

See also:
» the Rationales on MySpace