Fastball - Make Your Mama Proud (1996)

Make Your Mama Proud may not be the most innovative album on earth, but it certainly isn't lacking when it comes to being free-spirited and inspired and having a healthy sense of fun. Greatly influenced by punk and new wave's reckless aggression, as well as power-pop's love of memorable hooks, Fastball is a band that rocks intensely but isn't without a strong melodic sense. A variety of comparisons can be made -- everyone from the Knack, Elvis Costello and Generation X to the Beatles -- but freewheeling numbers like "Knock It Down," "Human Torch" and "Back Door" show that these natives of Austin, Texas have an appealing energy of their own. At times, Fastball combines punk-ish sensibilities with early- to mid-1960s touches, two examples being "Are You Ready for the Fallout" and "Altamont." For those who like their power-pop with lots of bite, Make Your Mama Proud merits close attention.