Sam Jayne and Dave Schneider were members of the now- defunct Lync. Jessica Espeleta is in Witchypoo. When they get together, it's murder. Oh no, wait, that's what happens when those two from "Hart to Hart" get together. When these three get together, it's L.A.L., which used to stand for Love as Laughter but now stands on its own. And L.A.L. is Northwest Indie Rock all the way. Loose and sloppy like Mudhoney, pop hooks scattered around like the Fastbacks. And loud, too. Heavily distorted guitars playing old Stones riffs in the land of The Green River Killer. It's a safe bet that a few beers were harmed in the making of this album.

There's no doubting that #1 USA is a great album title, and the title track happens to be the best on the disc. It sounds like the tune that played over the closing credits of "WKRP in Cincinnati," and I'll be damned if that ain't high praise. The album gets more adventurous as it goes, slowing the tempo, messing with the sound, and giving things more of an experimental, Sonic Youth vibe. To me, this is where it gets good. The faster songs, while marginally catchy, sound a little too generic to make you think they'll be around for a while. But the last five tracks (which aren't named anywhere in the packaging, but trust me, they're here) hint that something wicked might one day come from these kids.

-Mark Richard-San