Borrowing from every pop band from
the Beatles to
Oasis,
Swirl 360 may be a little hard to pin down, but that's part of the reason why their debut album,
Ask Anybody, is so enjoyable. Favoring the sweet pop of
McCartney over
Lennon's brittle rock & roll,
Swirl 360 augment that melody with crackling modern rock production. If they get a little too slick -- and let's face it, anyone who collaborates with
Desmond Child is bound to get a little slick -- they make up for it with sharp collaborations with
Adam Schlesinger (
Fountains of Wayne) and
Ken Stringfellow (
Posies), a crisp attack, and uncluttered arrangements. Denny and Kenny Scott, the twin masterminds behind the band, still need to find their own voice, but
Ask Anybody remains a cheerful, pleasing debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine