On their third album (and their second for Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records label), LA-based punk-pop trio The Dollyrots sound tighter, slicker and more polished than ever.  And while the higher production values are perfectly swell, the really good news is that The Dollyrots still sound like The Dollyrots: irresistibly catchy songs delivered with a wink that’s somewhere between flirty and snottily sarcastic.  Where other punk bands will spit at the audience to prove their attitude, The Dollyrots are more likely to throw handfuls of Bazooka Joe bubble gum at them.  Their sound all but dares you to try and not have a good time.

Lead singer and bass player Kelly Ogden is in great voice, sounding more confident than ever and switching effortlessly between not-so-innocent girlishness, sweetly seductive and ferocious growl.  The band has always had a knack for sing-and-clap-along hooks, never more evident than on the surefire crowd-pleaser “Some Girls”.  “California Beach Boy” could have been an early hit for The Go-Go’s and the title song showcases genuinely clever lyrics (about a more-than-slightly flawed boyfriend) as well as Luis Cabezas’ raucous guitar work.  On drums, Chris Black knows exactly when to step up and propel the song forward and when to dial it down without disappearing into the background.  Not every song hits it out of the park but even the ones that don’t quite work have addictive moments where the band fires on all cylinders.  And mark my words, “California” is a track that’s just waiting to be used as the theme song to some show like The OC, Gossip Girl or, preferably, something good that I might actually watch. 

The iTunes version of the album includes a couple of bonus tracks, cool covers of “Happy Together” and “Dream Lover”.  That seems a little backwards to me.  Shouldn’t people who buy a superior format like vinyl or even CD be rewarded with bonus tunes?  But hey, what do I know.  Whatever format you choose, The Dollyrots deliver a party to your ears where only the cool kids are invited.  And part of what makes the band so awesome is that no matter who you are, they make you feel like you are one of the cool kids.