Why Don’t We Talk About Something Else E.P.

Sitting through an entire album by Outrageous Cherry can be a bit daunting. OC devotees may revel in their sonic masterpieces, but for most of us, too often the neo-psychedelia runs on like a broken tap. But if you can’t sit through this five-track teaser for the group’s 2005 full-length, you ain’t a fan of classic pop. It’s a hint that OC might finally be making the record. Band captain Matt Smith has spent the last decade leading various OC lineups that quietly brimmed with Beach Boys sunbeams and Velvets (circa Loaded) vibrations. On this — particularly the brilliant “Eternity Changed Her Mind” and the pop perfection of the title track — Smith reaches into his back pocket for a piece of bubblegum, and he makes it snap, with welcome harmonies from the female half of the band. Of course the EP isn’t all a Creamsicle dream; the fuzzed out, all-but-instrumental “Detroit Blackout” concludes the disc with a reminder that OC might always be waiting for the man.

Shannon McCarthy writes about music for Metro Times. Send comments to [email protected].