Despite the band’s fierce name, the debut from San Francisco’s Junior Panthers is gleefully tame. The band kicks off its self-titled release with the head-bobbing “Mg/Sec.” From there on, they never let the good times stop rolling. This is cheerful power pop that picks up where Matthew Sweet and Jellyfish left off. Sloan is one of the most obvious influences, however, and not just because the name of the band comes from a Sloan song. At some points, it sounds as if they’re going to burst into a Sloan tune at any moment. Aside from these comparisons, the Junior Panthers do have a knack for putting together sunny, enjoyable rock. There’s even a song here called “California” just to insure that these guys are serious. “Exhausted,” which is most likely about surfing, has all surfboards pointing to the Beach Boys, while the sweet “Broken Down Muse” is about as ’60s-pop sounding as a 2000s band can get. Delightful. – Kenyon Hopkin
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