Check out this review from international pop reviewer Kevin Mathews... The Sanderlings are a four piece pop-rock band from Toledo, Ohio and Awesome Possum is their sophomore effort. Two years ago, lead guitarist Joshua Evans moved from Ohio to Oregon making it virtually impossible for the band (Ben Masters – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar Jonathan Rodebaugh – Bass and Jonathon Kynard – Drums) to continue as a touring entity but the band continued to write and record songs, despite the long distance. Awesome Possum is the result. Twelve slices of premium pop-rock that eschews any cynical attempt to be hip or cool (in modern rock terms) in favor of truly connecting with its listeners musically. This is a bigger achievement than it appears to be because it requires a commitment to true musical values, to serve the songwriting with the most appropriate creative processes without a reference to purely commercial concerns. Right from the get-go with the sampled vinyl hiss and crackle on the opening “Boys and Girls”, it’s obvious that The Sanderlings are more interested in reproducing the sounds of their collective youth rather than aping the currently hip moves. Thus fans of 70s/80s rock n’ roll will positively drool at what’s in store on Awesome Possum. With a strong emphasis on melodies, familiar guitar arrangements (eg power chords, jangly arpeggios and so on) and spine-tingling boy-girl vocal harmonies, there is much to savor on this wonderful album. After the salacious concepts behind “Boys and Girls”, “I Want You” is a welcome trek into Byrdsy jangle guitar pop with a happy tune that the late great Buddy Holly would have been proud to have penned. Pretty much a timeless feel-good ditty that deserves as much airtime as it can possibly get. From the lovey-dovey ear candy, we move on into heavier territory as the band delves into the late 60s psychedelia of The Doors and Jefferson Airplane with the dreamy stoner-themed “Fall Back”. With the appropriate dynamics, chord changes and instrumentation (although the synth keyboards would probably have been served better with Ray Manzarek-type organs!), “Fall Back” is a clear cut winner in the retro stakes. “Juffo Mumbins” is a whimsical number that recalls the offbeat oeuvre of They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies, and rather excels at this invocation as well. Which simply demonstrates how versatile The Sanderlings are, never content to settle on one particular style to bring their musical agenda across. In a similar vein as “Juffo Mumbins” is the rather black humorous “Mr. Heart Attack Man” where a Dylanesque put-down is communicated in an oddball manner. Wrapped up in a pseudo-grunge veneer, the band takes aim at their targets and hit right between the multiple pairs of eyes. Another weird moment comes with the quirkily titled “Love and Cannibalism in the Time of Robots” where the joyous bouncy rhythms belie the nonsensical themes. A enjoyable song even if the lyrical content mystifies most readers. However, if a listener is looking for timely change of pace, then “Smoke” provides a slow melancholic guitar ballad that veers into the occasional hillbilly tangent. “Booker” extends this break of sorts with a jazz-rock trade-off that somehow morphs into a reggae beat before reverting to the sequence again. All told, the eclecticism of The Sanderlings within the pop-rock spectrum is what keeps Awesome Possum eminently intriguing for the duration, admittedly a relatively archaic concept but one that needs to be kept alive by music fans for as long as humanly possible. Highly recommended for music fans who keep faith in the adage that rock n’ roll will never die. Review by Kevin Mathews Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)