The Dons are made up of half of fellow Not Lame band Receiver. The leader of that band, Ken West, plays lead guitar for the Dons and Receiver's guitarist, Don Mogill, is the leader of the Dons, writing all the songs and providing lead vocals. The Dons play straight-ahead power pop-influenced guitar rock; energetic, with loud guitars and soft vocals, these songs are finely crafted and shaped by the past. The Dons break no new ground here, but they sound pretty good while trodding in the footsteps of modern-day power pop giants like Matthew Sweet, Velvet Crush, and Teenage Fanclub. Mogill has a good pop voice, smooth and high with a trace of grittiness at times. He and West create very nice harmonies together. Songs like "Cakewalk" and "Diane" showcase their lush harmonies. There are no standout tracks, good or bad; the record flows from one song to the next on a cotton-candy cloud of melody and harmony. A very promising debut by a band with their heart and ears in the right place.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo