The Kelley Deal 6000: Boom! Boom! Boom!

The second album from sometime Breeder, full-time famous sibling and rehab graduate Kelley Deal doesn't stake out much new territory, but nobody ever said that was a prerequisite for making an oft-sharp, highly listenable collection of pop music. From the first single "Shag" on, it's clear that, though picking up the guitar only a few years ago, Deal has learned the art of writing hook-laden guitar-pop songs that lodge themselves in the memory for days. Unfortunately, she hasn't quite picked up the art of consistency: The strong tracks range in style from the aggressive "Brillo Hunt" (the album's best song) to the achingly deliberate "When He Calls Me Kitten." Occasionally, Deal falls back on safer, repetitive tunes that don't stand out, and two tracks—the self-explanatory "Drum Solo" and the not-very-humorously mocking "Stripper"—would be better confined to B-sides. Nevertheless, Boom! Boom! Boom! is an encouraging development that, in its better moments, spotlights the continuing growth of a talented singer and songwriter.