As I listen to the first track on The Hippos' sophomorealbum, "Heads Are Gonna Roll," the sounds of an upbeat pop ska riffwith blaring horns shoot to my ear. My head nods along as the song progresses tothe chorus and beyond. All of a sudden, the sounds of a keyboard synthesizer findtheir way out of the speaker, giving the song an entirely different feel. Notonly am I listening to an excellent band, but one that is original in its sound.I'm hooked.

Recently signed to Interscope Records, this five-piece bandgives the word "catchy" a new meaning. Lyrics about puppy love,heartbreak and the need to change paired with upbeat music make every song one ofthose that gets stuck in your head. The synthesizer is a nice surprise, givingthe whole album a retro-ྌs feel. As a matter of fact, they do a remake of theྌs song "Always Something There To Remind Me" by Naked Eyes.

Irecommend this band to anyone interested in ska or unique sounds. "Heads AreGonna Roll" is an awesome album, packed full of fun tunes that will make youwant to head for the record store.