It is said that music is the international language. Who knew this extended to power pop? While Couple, a quartet from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has been together for more than ten years and has released several albums in its home country, Top of the Pop is its American debut. The music pays homage to pop staples such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Raspberries, and Cheap Trick. “Gotta Be My Girl� is straight-laced, “I Want To Hold Your Hand�-style innocence, while “Are You Ready?� cranks up the guitars and even adds horns to what becomes something of a rallying cry. Second-language lyrics like “Rock and roll, rock and roll/Kick some ass before I’m old� are more humorous than they probably were intended to be, but despite the awkward moments, Top of the Pop is terrifically tuneful and wonderfully endearing, a successful introduction for the rest of the world to a band that merits more widespread attention.
Frank Valish
