John Cougar Watermelon Camp Counselor, the tape-ready debut from Taco Dreams, is relentlessly energetic throughout without being exhausting. There are notes of The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Stone Roses, only with a great deal mopre levity than any of those new wave forebears. It’s not a brand new sound per se, but between Taco Dreams and several other new-on-the-scene groups, it’s incredibly exciting to see the Nuggetsy-garage vibe that overtook East Nasty for the longest effetively exploring some other sounds. –Austin Phy
