One of numerous Southern guitar-jangle bands to get some college radio airplay in the wake of R.E.M.'s early/mid-'80's success, the Connells were the most melodic and accessible of the bunch. While the album opens with the chiming, upbeat "Scotty's Lament," the balance of the disc is populated by mid-tempo ballads with unforgettable hooks and amazingly hummable choruses. Lyrically, the album mostly sidesteps the basic girl-meets-girl pop motif, going with general anti-war mildly political bent; it's not terribly pointed or deep, but a nice change from the more typical jangle-pop standards. The Connells are one of the few bands I can play for pretty much anyone, from alternative rock fans to more musically cautious Lilith Fair-types, without ruffling any feathers. Boylan Heights may be one of the best Sunday morning brunch/quiet Saturday evening get-together albums ever (or certainly on par with R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People and other low-key semi-acoustic edgy guitar pop). The follow-up, Fun & Games, rocked a little harder and included its fair share of pop greatness. Later albums, while still offering up a handful of stellar singles, traded some of the gentle hooks that made Boylan Heights so special for a more run-of-the-mill buzzing power pop guitar sound.

	Amazon.com's Boylan Heights samples.
	Official Connells Website is ok; most of the decent fan pages have disappeared.
	Opinionated Connells Discography

Pop Kulcher