Friends of Emmet - State of Mind (2014)

These self-described “veterans” of the music scene have all been around the block in various guises over the past two decades. The Irish-American pop-rockers cut their musical teeth in Dublin but now call LA home, and that Stateside stimulus floods the quintet’s debut album. Immediately apparent touchpoints are Pearl Jam (Coming Apart, the squally One Man Show) and Bruce Springsteen (in both the anthemic Headlines and the rootsy strum of Restless), while the unabashed jauntiness of MOR acts such as The Feeling are audible on No Surprise. It’s no surprise to hear that most of these songs have been used on MTV shows; this is polished, occasionally corny pop-rock. And while it may not be to everyone’s taste, it seems that Friends of Emmet have cornered a particular radio-friendly market.