Indie pop fans have been heaping a large amount of justifiable praise on Rick Corcoran for his gem of a Beatles-inspired album, The Orgone Box. Save some of that same applause for Star, the debut disc by the Acme Rock Group. Erik Rex and his musical pals have released a dandy of a Beatlesque album that even includes a sweet (think of Ken Sharp) version of the Lennon-McCartney tune, “World Without Love.†Star also includes a cover of the Who’s “Odorono,†but Rex and his bandmates excel with their original power pop and psychedelic tunes. The disc opens strongly with three straight tracks that smack of Sgt. Pepper’s era songs – the last of which, “Floating,†even has a bit of a David Bowie sound to it. The slower tracks are reminiscent of Rubber Soul, and the only instrumental track maintains the Beatlesque theme. In fact, this is one of those rare discs where the songs blend seamlessly together. Pop fans should rejoice over Star. It’s refreshing to know that Philadelphia (best known for its R&B and soul groups) is nurturing pop, rock and alt-country bands in the new millennium. The Acme Rock Group has just helped pseudo-60s psych/pop take a big step forward!
~Eric Sorensen | Amplifier Magazine
