Not quite loud and fast enough for pop-punk or fey enough for twee, Dreamdate’s minimalist guitar/bass/drums arrangements and succinct (under 30 minutes) debut album would sound right at home on K Records. Pop nuggets such as “Why Don’t You Make Me?” and “Envious Hearts” deliver the singalong goods, but the painful uncertainty and vulnerability expressed in “Break Up” show that Dreamdate have depth, too. Outwardly, the album looks very twee; the cover art is a painting of a weeping girl surrounded by hearts and Sanrio-esque bunnies, and reflects the love lyrics within. But Dreamdate’s raw guitar and prominent drums tilt more toward garage rock than the package suggests, and recall the cuddlecore bands of the ’90s. The trend toward short pop albums without a trace of filler is a welcome development after the early CD-era rush to bloat albums to 80 minutes with filler. Come Over Now is short and sweet, but not too sweet for those with an aversion to precious indie pop. – Greg Adams