Only Son - Searchlight

For a nice steamy slab of classic retro rock and Brit pop, may we suggest a supersized order of Only Son? The creative moniker of one Jack Dishel, Russian born (as Yevgeny Leonidovich Dishel) former guitarist for pioneering oddballs The Moldy Peaches, Only Son and sophomore release Searchlight (January 18) beam you back somewhere between 1970 and 1985, when long-haired pomp rockers decided they couldn't leave the big production pop songs just to the nerds. Drilling deep into the mother lode of what we've described as "Jeff Lynne meets Eric Carmen at Abbey Road" nostalgia, Dishel dishes it up thick and in the process adds his own creative flavors to the stew.

Unlike most albums that tend to lose their own identity in the depth of obvious influences, Searchlight uses the grab bag of throwback inspirations as a starting point, allowing Dishel a wide stage to delve into his own sometimes quirky, but always smartly dressed melodies. Nothing too angular or jarring to muddy the process, just brightly detailed pop songs that manage to let some darkness filter in around the edges. Take "It's A Boy" -- a cabaret-meets-Classic Rock song that melds classic Tommy/Bowie hooks to a spooky lyrical tale of futuristic genetic manipulation. Or "Magic", a straight up wide-screen, orchestrated pop/rock gem that channels ELO and Badfinger without losing its own audacious, imaginative streak. Searchlight guests include Regina Spektor (who co-wrote and sings on "Call Them Brothers") along with members of The Strokes and Of Montreal.

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Only Son - "Magic (from the album Searchlight)

Only Son - "It's A Boy" (from the album Searchlight)