Pete Molinari is an old-school bluesy americana hollerer who is utterly addicted to 60s pop. The easiest reference would be to imagine 1965-ish Beatles as Jack White's greatest influence, but Molinari has a much more sophisticated attack.

Pete Molinari Theosophy (Cherry Red)

Which is to take nothing away from White's genius. But Molinari has a knack for tweaking just about every sound he touches so that the end result is something than can only be described as "Molinari-esque."

And White is one of the few artists who managed the same feat so early in his career, so the comparison seems obvious to me. But Molinari is anti-garage. These songs are bright, loud and energetic, but most of all they're immaculately crafted. The melodies turn in on each other, and the rhythms are tuned precisely.

There are some lovely Simon and Garfunkel moments here, though Molinari puckishly throws a little Dylan into those bits, so the results are more "A Simple Desultory Philippic" than "I Am a Rock." I'm more than amenable.

Amenable to pretty much everything here. And as a complete aside, I'm glad to see Cherry Red still alive and kicking with such great music. This is an album that looks back to the past and finds the perfect sound for the future. Molinari is a talent that cannot be overlooked. Mindbendingly brilliant.

Jon Worley