The Oohlas
Best Stop Pop

In specialized blogs and on critics' sites, there's a buzz announcing The Oohlas as one of the most promising revelations of the fall-winter 2006 music season. And so here we are, writing about them because, as is known, nothing is worth more than the subtle pleasure of being able to say one day, "I told you so."

The Oohlas are Greg Eklund, former drummer of Everclear (a band almost unknown on this side of the ocean, but with a certain following in the American indie-rock scene), his brother Mark, and the redhead (by hair) Ollie Stone. Musically, they are distant relatives of the Pixies of "Bossanova" and perhaps a bit of Pavement from "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain." More directly, they are the protégés of that strange hundred-headed creature known as post-grunge, as Everclear were, but in its more contemporary and now emancipated interpretation.

Their debut album "Best Stop Pop" comes after a self-produced EP in 2004, which had already raised a fair amount of interest and from which this latest work reprises several tracks. The sound of The Oohlas is firmly supported by the pair of electric guitars from Eklund and Stone, who also alternate on vocals, while bass and drums play more supporting roles. The effect achieved is truly waves of robust electric sound, lively guitar riffs that keep stealing the scene, overlapping and continuously chasing each other. However, it avoids any pretentious noise attitude; almost, indeed, claiming a certain closeness to the more ear-friendly and radio-friendly sounds typical of college rock.

Playing talent scouts and thinking in record terms, one could mention that "Best Stop Pop" contains a fair number of potential singles, the kind that start quietly on independent radios and maybe one day end up in your phone carrier's commercials. The opening track "Gone" falls into this category, as do, later on, "Small Parts" or "Cahuenga Shuffle", where even the most naive listener cannot help but notice how The Oohlas, with Miss Stone on vocals, unmistakably remind one of Courtney Love's Hole at their best. The spirit of this album and this band is perfectly represented by "From Me to You." Almost lo-fi start, verse on pop-rock rhythms, highly effective two-voice chorus, catchy riffs, and then starts over. A classic piece where your shoulders start moving, your head nods along, and if you're in the car, you downshift to gain acceleration and have a bit of fun with the pedal.

By the end of the listening, perhaps the overall sense eludes: yet another attempt by American indie-rock to leave behind the heavy past inheritances and restart on more concrete and less unnecessarily alternative bases? Or a clever production of an undoubtedly talented group, but eager to shake off the dust of anonymity as soon as possible? As usual, the wisdom of commonplaces prevails, and probably the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

For now, it remains an excellent music album, perhaps not new, much less innovative, but with a fresh and genuine taste. And that's exactly what the gourmet is looking for tonight. There's always time for top chefs.