Throw Me The Statue are a Seattle based indie rock/pop group formed and lead by Scott Reitherman, the band are signed to Secretly Canadian, and this is their debut album which is tailor-made for summer.Moonbeams is a really fun album. What you get, basically, is some nice elements rubbing up against each other. It's quite generic stuff; the partial lo-fi recording quality, the buzzing guitar, the honeyed, sloppy, male lead vocal, driving 4/4 rhythm, upbeat, quirky keyboard accompaniment. A summer album that encompasses hot afternoons by a pool, late afternoon barbecues and relaxed sunset strolls. What Throw Me The Statue does so well here is to not only have a great base for a song, (excellent chord changes and etc.), but to also fill in around the edges with extremely satisfying attention to detail, which ends up being very important for the album’s longevity. Throughout Moonbeams these details act as little hooks that drag you through the album, little aural delights that make your heart skip up into your mouth and a silly grin spread across your face that you use when no one else can see.Some examples: 'A Mutinous Dream' has a driving acoustic and electric guitar playing at the same time, a hook that starts the song and threads all the way through it. 'About To Walk' has a brilliant performance by Reitherman on vocals, specifically a twang to one word on every other version of the song’s chorus. 'Groundswell' is great for the dynamic changes within the song, ostensibly a rocking tight pop tune, it can strip away to just drums or suddenly take a regretful sounding detour with keyboards, before falling back into the sugar rush. 'Take It Or Leave It' uses a staccato guitar riff that sometimes gets joined by a keyboard or high-pitched "Oooh-ooooh’s", there’s something very compelling and good natured about the riff, and indeed the song. 'Moonbeams' is a relaxed and measured track that sits well in the context of the album. Its slow drums, trumpets and sensitive vocal performance by Reitherman, is an example of the relaxed sunset stroll song mentioned earlier. As for the lyrics, it doesn’t make me open my eyes and its not illuminating anything for me. Which isn’t a deal breaker, I don’t generally expect to be blown away by indie rock musicians that often when it comes to lyrics.I’ve missed out tracks because there just isn’t enough space to include everything. There really is no weak song on Moonbeams. The album does run a little long (55 mins), but it’s understandable when the quality is so high. I suppose I could muse on whether I, or anyone else reading this, needs another competent pop/rock band. But that would be going into too much depth about what is essentially a fun and happiness-inducing album. 78%mp3:> Throw Me The Statue - About To WalkLinks Throw Me The Statue [myspace] [label]