The Waking Hours - The Waking Hours

Led by lead singer/guitarist/lyricist Tom Richards, and including brother Scott Richards on bass, guitarist Rick Tubb, and drummer Rob Clark, The Waking Hours churn out a melodic blend of garage pop tweaked with bits of punk and glam on their self-titled debut. The lyrics, mostly written by Tom Richards with some contributions by Tubb, don't really go much beyond the titles, but it hardly matters. The band weaves their vocal harmonies into the appealing crunch of the music resulting in melodies that defy the listener's ability to not be hooked. The single "Work It Out" is a chugging, riff-heavy melody with fluid, howling guitars and a stirring falsetto by Tubb. "Out Of My Mind" and "Caroline" are also crunchy nuggets of ear candy with infectious choruses and "Life Goes On" cops a Beatlesesque feel with excellent results. The Waking Hours is one good time of a debut.