ARTIST: The Preatures                      

TITLE:  Blue Planet Eyes

YEAR RELEASED: 2014

CHART ACTION: None

SINGLES: Is This How You Feel?, Somebody’s Talking, Two Tone Melody, Cruel

OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Maybe something else on college radio.

LINEUP: Thomas Champion, Luke Davison, Isabella Manfredi, Jack Moffitt, Gideon Bensen.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Australian band releases nice pop album with some rock and some electronic elements, and it’s pleasant but maybe a little too safe and nice.

SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: This Australian band hit it pretty big down there with “Is This How You Feel?”, which gave them the momentum and means to record a full album. The result is a record that’s pleasant, and poppy with enough rock elements to keep it somewhat energetic.

The whole mood is one of a nice, safe album. The hooks are there, but there’s nothing edgy or revealing about these 10 songs. All of the rough edges are sanded off, for better or worse. They’re catchy, though, thanks to the hooks.

The Preatures are a band to watch, especially if they can work out more duet vocals, as Manfredi works well against another voice. The songwriting is there for more hits; I just prefer a little more grit is all.

NOTES & MINUTIAE: Bensen has left the band just recently. He was the one who sang with Manfredi on the duets.

IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No.

GRADE: B+: It’s catchy, and the more you hear it the more the hooks sink in.