There are bands that get an instant add to our ongoing playlist whenever they put something out. They’re that reliable. Today’s crew offer some prime examples.

Ten albums in and David Brookings continues to deliver the goods in his distinctly American Beatlesque way. It says something about his vision and consistent songwriting that, despite a changing cast of backing characters, Encore has that recognizable Brookings and his Average Lookings sound. You can take in all the elements on “Richmond at Night” where a Micheal Penn kind of melodic intensity combines with an alluring rhythm to really draw you in. Then “Coldwater Canyon” updates an early 1960s song structure with some contemporary indie rock sheen, something we hear again later on “My Last Little Shred of Youth.” “It’s Giving Cringe” operates with a nice guitar lick that runs throughout a very pleasant pop number. But the obvious should-be hit single is undoubtedly “Where Did I Go Right” with its solid hooks. This one definitely says lather, rinse, and repeat. The album contains a number of offhand reflections on being a musical artist at this particular moment but goes into detail about the arbitrary nature of fame and being discovered on “The Van Gogh Plan.” Brookings also throws in the pretty stand-alone single “Shelby” to sweeten the package.

The Rallies are a ‘feel good’ band who know how to wield jangly guitars and harmony vocals to good effect. Album #4 No Better Time confirms this with plenty of soaring, uplifting tunes. Opening cut “This Time” lays out the Rallies musical formula clearly with sparkling guitar lines and layers of gorgeous vocals. Then “I Believe” is the hooky radio-ready single, taking off with a great singalong swing. You can practically feel “Comes and Goes” has a buoyant skip to its step. This is an album oozing positivity while giving nods to a number of rock and roll’s glorious forebears. “Be With You” has got some great Beatlesque changes in the song structure. “Notice Me” is practically propelled forward by the jangle guitar work. “You Set Me Free” even adds an element of sixties Monkees-in-garage mode to the band’s sonic mix. “Not So Much Anymore” is another strong power pop entry, with a killer organ underlay. LP closer “If Only” strips things back to very essence of The Rallies, a basic accompaniment and the band’s riveting, plaintive vocals. Trust me, No Better Time is the shot in the arm you’ve been looking for.

Lost at sea, shipwrecked on some island, whatever. As long as I’ve got a copy of Lost At Sea, the new album from The Legal Matters, I’ll be fine. The band is an amazing combination of individual talents – Keith Klingensmith, Andy Reed, and Chris Richards – that gel with the sonic sophistication of acts like The Spongetones or The Flashcubes. The overall aura here is a tight 1970s power pop vibe, equal parts Badfinger and Big Star. The album’s stylistic ambitions are readily apparent from the opening cut “Everybody Knows.” These are big and bold pop hooks. On “The Message” I hear faint echoes of The Beach Boys lurking somewhere in the background. But the dominant feature throughout the record are the carefully chosen lead guitar tones. Check out the atmospheric guitar lines colouring “Shake This Feeling,” the noir-ish guitar shading on “Temporary Thing,” or the spacey otherworldly guitar work on “It Doesn’t Matter.” “Let Me Explain” wields the guitar like a paintbrush to fill all the spaces of the tune. By contrast, “Stuck With Me” puts its gorgeous harmony vocals up front. There’s also some great psychedelic pop moments here on songs like the XTC-ish “Marching On” and “The Exit Signs.” “Slow Down” gears things down in a recognizably Big Star register. Altogether, Lost At Sea offers up a pretty smooth ride.

Sans his Complicated Men backing band, Nick Piunti heads out Solo…ish on his new long-player. Andy Reed from The Legal Matters produced and played on this record with help from Donny Brown from The Verve Pipe. The results are a slight departure from Piunti’s usual fare, at times more spare and gritty or conjuring up surprising new sonic elements. He still sounds like a cross between Bryan Adams and Tom Petty to me (and what’s not to like about that?) and that works well with the material he’s assembled here. Opening track “Big in Madrid” echoes the songwriting chops of artists like Mike Viola. A strong start but somewhat supplanted by the striking shift in aural sensibility that comes with the next contribution “Break Even.” Here the song’s interesting vocal melds dynamically with its distinctive guitar hooks. From there the album turns in a more heartland direction on “One Dimensional” and “Darken My Days.” I also get a strong Bryan Adams feel from “Vacant Heart” and “Peripheral.” “Handshake Deal” sounds like the radio-ready single to me, though “Bruises and Bandages” offers up a more mellow kind of should-be AM staple. For polished pop sheen, look no further than “Better Songs,” another should-be hit single.

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Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.