A veteran of the underground rock scene, Olympia’s Tim McBride has a resume including bands like Hook & The Daggers and Warning Track. This trio setting with Matt Mueller and Ira Peterson began in 2018, and this debut album touches on plenty of timeless rock, power-pop and punk ideas. 
The energetic and dense “Ripped Up The Book” opens, and pairs McBride’s smooth and melodic pipes with Peterson’s thumping drums and thick guitar. “Stuck On A Bridge” then allows for McBride’s guitar licks to touch on classic rock nods, as Mueller’s intricate bass guides the soulful delivery.
Closer to the middle, the dreamy climate of the aptly titled “Tender Moment” tugs on the heartstrings with poeticism, while the sturdy “Fixation (Next New Thing)” is a power-pop anthem that invites a sing-along. “Off The Ground,” the best tune of the first half, then lands in punk territory, and blends the searing guitar with an animated rhythm section that brings to mind late period Husker Du.
Side B leads with the buzzing guitar of “Falling Away Again,” which recruits timeless rock’n’roll that’s both nostalgic and modern, but it’s the swirling bass and strong attention to atmosphere of “Civility” that makes the second half equally as great as the first.
“Bad Butterflies” and “Arteries And Interstates” exit the record. The former is a head bobbin’, toe tappin’ burst of lively and tuneful punk meets rock, and the latter brings acoustic guitar to the initially soft delivery that builds into a rich and powerful finish.
Peterson and Mueller have paid their dues, too, in bands like Pop Punks Dying Days and Steelhorse. Together with McBride, they pen thoughtful and rugged songs that never shy away from melody and will be sure to impress those who enjoy Ted Leo, The Thermals or Jets To Brazil.