Driving down the highway the other day, listening to Seattle’s great independent radio station, KEXP, I heard this song by Mikal Cronin, which, as my car radio display conveniently stated, is called, “See It My Way.” It was the first time I heard it, but it most certainly won’t be the last — it was an immediate new favorite, from the album MCII, released in May of this year, and I look forward to giving this album a closer listen. It harkens back to the classic college rock of the ’80s, blending the sounds of songs that I grew to love by such groups as the Hoodoo Gurus and the Long Ryders with the more recent rockin’ sounds of power-pop perfectionists Sloan. I know little about Cronin, but it’s clear he must be at least familiar with the music of that era, even if he’s too young to have grown up with it. In any case, it’s a great new twist on some of my favorite sounds.

Listen for yourself and enjoy…