Fromohio

Stronger than its predecessor SOMETIMES, though not quite as good as either the group's debut, RAGIN' FULL-ON, or its sophomore effort, IF'N, FROMOHIO nevertheless merits attention from fans of the band's early work. The unstoppable rhythm section of bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, who are no less awesome here than in their glory days with The Minutemen, and the white-bread conversational/throaty vocals and atmospheric/schizophrenic guitar work of frontman Ed Crawford, drive a satisfying set of quirky, protean pop songs.
The band habitually shifts gears; hook-inflected rock such as "Riddle of the '80s" and "Some Things," abuts joke folk ("Liberty for Our Friend"), shape-shifting melodies ("Understanding"), faux Latin shuffle rhythms ("Whisperin' While Hollerin'"), and rugged, athletic Mike Watt workouts ("What Gets Heard"). As always, the level of musicianship is high, and the music is adventurous, surprising and earnest. While not the band's finest, FROMOHIO still bears the stamp of '80s indie rock authenticity.