Nikki & The Corvettes

Nikki Corvette and the girls storm through 12 quick power poppers about time-honored subjects like boys, cars, and summertime on this breezy, lightweight slice of power pop. The backup is closer to the Ramones than to Blondie, the vocals are closer to Blondie than to the Ramones, and the songwriting, production, and performance aren’t up to the standards of either of those bands. But the comparisons are unavoidable, and it’s not bad, though certainly on the lightweight side. The 2000 CD reissue adds the 1977 single “Young & Crazy”/”Criminal Element” and the 1981 single “I Gotta Move” (not the Kinks song)/”Girls Like Me” as bonus tracks. You’ll have to kind of piece together the story of the band if you’re not familiar with their history (a category including most listeners) because the 12-page booklet is comprised solely of vintage press clippings and photos. This leaves such matters as exact band personnel and career details open to speculation, unburdened by factual baggage, liberating picky reviewers from their responsibilities of bursting whatever bubble of mystique remains around such artists. – Richie Unterberger