When old heroes release a new album, it’s often unfair to compare the new work with what they created in their glory days. But because they’re heroes, you accept a new standard of quality—just as you do with autumn when thinking of spring. None of this applies to Mobtown: Splitsville’s new album sounds as fresh and exciting as their releases from the turn of the millennium. Maybe Cold Open isn’t the perfect opener, but after that, it’s nine straight hits—flawless, brilliantly executed, and perfectly produced power pop, with Perry Hall and I Hate Going to Hutzler’s as two random highlights that I was singing along to after just a couple of listens, coloring my day in bright tones. In all this excitement, I’m tempted to say it won’t get any hotter this year—but maybe it goes even further, and I’m ready to label it a Modern Power Pop Classic right now.