How many punk-pop bands can get away with quoting Lionel Richie *and* Judas Priest?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a tough opening to live up to, though, and while Chase This Light<\/i> has a number of strong moments, it doesn\u2019t feel entirely up to the task.\u00a0 Among the stronger moments here, \u201cAlways Be\u201d stands out, a prototypically urgent, melodic and thoughtful rocker whose singalong chorus begs for airplay.\u00a0 \u201cCarry You\u201d offers another very pretty — and catchy — melody line, and \u201cElectable (Give It Up)\u201d echoes the hard, punky edge of older numbers like \u201cPain\u201d and \u201cBleed American,\u201d though the group\u2019s fury is channeled pretty thoroughly into melody this time out.<\/p>\n Second half standouts include \u201cHere It Goes,\u201d which throws in bells and a rather techno opening before dropping into a more standard Jimmy layered-vocals-and-sunny-melody tune punctuated by a sharp, repeating riff.\u00a0 Title track \u201cChase This Light\u201d turns up the earnest \u2013 not to mention the multi-part-vocal-harmonies-over-repeating-guitar-figure-over-stuttering-drums motif — and creates a kind of uber-Jimmy anthem that\u2019s both somewhat satisfying and altogether familiar.\u00a0 Farther on, the circular hook and hammering rhythm section of \u201cFirefight\u201d sounds like much of the first half of Futures<\/i>, just a little sunnier.\u00a0 <\/p>\n