MARVELOUS 3 
Hey!Album (Elektra)
Rating: 6 out of 7
By Michael Lipton

   "You were kool as hell like e-mail but still timeless like a letter." Far be it from me to argue with a modern couplet like that, especially when itÕs delivered with as much white, cherubic soul as any group of suburbanites have mustered since the Records. Beginning with "YouÕre So Yesterday," the aforementioned cut on Marvelous 3Õs Elektra debut, this Atlanta power-pop trio puts the most electric, exuberant, and clever spin on Õ80s pop youÕre likely to hear this year. The recipe is far from new: Take the chunky rhythm guitars of the Cars, add the shameless (and catchy) pop melodies and harmonies of Cheap Trick, the immediacy of the Buzzcocks, the smarts of Joe Jackson, and then--for good measure--a dash of Boston and the Raspberries, and youÕve got the idea.
   ThereÕs a fine art to making music that feels comfortable and sounds familiar, yet has a strong flavor of its own. In a sense, itÕs the ultimate aim of pop music. And to that end, cuts like the power ballad "Let Me Go" and the irresistible single "Freak Of The Week" are two of the genreÕs best examples, thanks to Butch WalkerÕs versatile, ear-friendly voice and well-crafted arrangements. And even in "Every Monday," when a bit of Queen-styled pompousness creeps in, attitude and self-deprecating lyrics ("All of this because my favorite show was canceled last night on TV") are the antidote. I wouldnÕt call this stuff timeless, but then again, M3 isnÕt concerned about saving the world, just the day.