The members of Joe's Garage have been playing together since they were kids, and while their sound is thoroughly old-school, it's still fresh. The Cleveland quartet makes bouncy college rock, circa 1985: "It Cuts Like That" recalls a lost era when late-night, left-of-the-dial radio helped bored boys and girls make it through school the next day, while the riff-riding barroom rocker "Oh Salvatore" sounds like the guys grew up listening to Springsteen and later moved on to R.E.M. Singer-guitarists Joe Romito and Mark Kindler combine retro-pop harmonies, leading the power combo through super-tight tunes like "Drive Another Day." And they always make sure Lost in Overdale bounces back after wistful cuts about dusty picture books (the title track) and the Civil War ("Abraham Lincoln"). It's a time capsule, but one worth opening.
