The Royal Pines "Come Forth"

(www.myspace.com/royalpines Prior to the invention of "Alternative Rock" there was something called College Rock, which was basically REM and a bunch of bands doing doing bad REM impersonations. Occasionally, within those narrow parameters, an act would stand out, and had this record come out in 198whatever this would be one of those bands. Royal Pines takes the REM concept of making poppy, hooky rock with all of the machismo of classic/cock rock siphoned out, then de-wussifies it by laying on deep timbred, dramatic vocals. Royal Pines freshens my world even moreso than their namesake windshield-hanging car-destinkafier. In fact, this is so good it made me not only come forth but also come for a fifth...and that's not easy to do.