by Rob Theakston
Power pop got off to a rocketing start in the '70s and the demand for it, like most genres and styles, dissipated slowly through the '80s. Like most movements, there are some records and bands that were left in the resin, never to be fully acknowledged for their contributions, whether small or significant. Standing in the shadows of other bands from Max's and CBGB's, Milk 'n' Cookies quietly carved their niche on the circuit, but never received their due from mainstream culture. Their eponymous debut is a session hyped up on the sweetest sugar and soda pop, as the group carves out three-minute numbers that are post-glam but foreshadow the emergence of punk. For die-hard collectors of power pop, this album is a welcome treat to even the most seasoned and jaded of ears. And for those hyped up on the modern-day, cookie-cutter, Johnny-come-lately band of the moment emulating the sound of new wave? This is an absolute textbook essential listening experience.