This is the album I've been waiting for all summer. The Simple Carnival is one-man-band Jeff Boller who specializes in bright and sunny pop. Not pop like the current crap heard on Top 40 radio. I'm talking about the heyday of summer fun, the 1970s. Mostly piano-driven arrangements serve as a platform for Jeff's best instrument: a smooth voice that heavily recalls The Beach Boys, from occasional falsettos to layered harmonized whoa-oh-ohs and la-la-las. This is especially present in the lush acapella "Nothing Will Ever Be As Good." The rest of the backing tracks use simple drums, guitar and keyboards, and aside from some kazoo-infused exotica and Wings-era synths the music doesn't rely on gimmicks to capture attention. At times it reminds me of The Carpenters, Billy Joel and even Yes, but without ever feeling campy or tongue-in-cheek. My favorite recurring motif is the layered flute and glockenspiel orchestration straight out of early Sesame Street sketches. Jeff knows a thing or two about creative production (check out his DIY music blog Songs and Sonics) and gives the album a bright polish with some delightfully weird bends. Girls Aliens Food is a fun, laid-back and impressive indie release that thankfully sidesteps any current trends. Hopefully it will catch on and start some of its own.

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