18. MCII / Mikal Cronin

The D Man supports power pop in all its permutations.  Slick, fuzzy, and everything in between, from The Lemonheads to Brendan Benson to Nada Surf.  So it is no surprise that Mikal Cronin's fuzzied-out guitars were satisfying listening throughout the summer of 2013.  Often a sideman to Ty Segall's blistering garage rock, Cronin's second solo album, MCII, sheds some of the noise for a cleaner and more polished sound, and the result is tuneful guitar rock from front to back.  Perhaps that recent B.F.A. in Music was worth the tuition, as he adds strings, pianos, and statelier arrangements to the feedback.

Cronin's guitar licks never seem to overrun his melodies and hooks.  The ten songs on the relatively short album are consistently strong.  "Weight" shuffles along with pianos and acoustic guitars until the chorus cranks up the fuzz.  "Shout It Out" has a West Coast feel--somewhere between surf rock and breezy Pacific Coast pop--and its infectious guitar squeals are a fun listen.  "See It My Way" displays Cronin's exceptional soloing amid more fuzziness, while "Peace of Mind" changes the pace with tasteful string arrangements.  On the fine closer "Piano Mantra," Cronin loses the guitars and sits behind a solitary piano, showing off his multi-instrumental prowess.  As the strings seep in, he asks can you hear me or is it in my mind?  As if to answer his own question, he picks his guitar back up and drives home the noise.