THE WHIGS

Mission Control

The Athens pop-rock trio, who took the country by storm in 2005 with its debut “Give ‘Em All a Big Fat Lip,” doesn’t change direction too much on Mission Control – which means you can expect heavy doses of catchy hooks, sing-along choruses and tightly-honed songwriting.

The Whigs are not very experimental. The band’s approach to songwriting is conventional, sticking to simplistic chord progressions and bare-bones instrumentation without all the extensive layering and overdubbing that often clutters recent music. What’s interesting is this formula really works – the stripped-down production, combined with the Whigs’ impressive knack for pop melodies, evokes the pop-rock greats of the ’60s (The Beatles, The Kinks) and the raw energy of modern-day garage rock (The Strokes), reminding the post-millennial world that less definitely can be more. The songs are tight, lean and keep the energy going, from the fist-pumping roar of “Like a Vibration” all the way through the spacey groove of the closing title track.

Despite the simple guitar-bass-drums combination, the Whigs turn out an impressive level of musical dexterity. Perhaps their greatest strength lies in knowing exactly how to play to the mood of a song. Nothing is overwrought, and each instrument complements the others so perfectly that the music feels effortless. “Production City” centers around one of the jauntiest bass lines in rock music, and if rousing anthems like “Already Young” and “Hot Bed” don’t get you on your feet and dancing, there’s a good chance that nothing in this world will.

Verdict: “Mission Control” lets it be known: the Whigs are back and better than ever.

LIVERPOOL 8

Ringo Starr

In The Beatles, Ringo was always the quiet, easygoing, likeable one. He has cultivated this persona throughout his solo career, and his newest release is no exception.

The song names themselves reveal the conventional nature of the album – look no further than titles such as “If It’s Love That You Want,” “Love Is,” “For Love,” “Tuff Love” -you get the idea. But Starr’s signature drumming techniques and his resident backup musicians provide enough attractive melodies and memorable twists to forgive any lack of originality.

Perhaps a sign of the rock veteran’s age (believe it or not, the guy will be 70 in three short years), “Liverpool 8″ is relentlessly nostalgic, even to the point of being bittersweet. The title track finds Ringo musing over his tenure in the “Fab Four,” with not-so-subtle name drops of the other Beatles and a particularly famous concert at Shea Stadium. “Gone Are the Days” and “Harry’s Song” are similarly awash in ’60s-style reminiscence. And “Now That She’s Gone Away” is a hat-tip of sorts to classic blues-rock, a style virtually lost among the overwhelming avalanche of music available today.

It can almost be boiled down to a science: Ringo, like his music, is reliable and consistent. Best of all, Ringo and his bandmates know this and play to these strengths instead of delving into half-baked experimentation. The result is not quite innovative but nothing short of enjoyable.

Verdict: For fans of Ringo or of solid pop-rock, “Liverpool 8″ will definitely deliver, but those seeking more cutting-edge music should look elsewhere.

- John Barrett