Boat

Setting the Paces

(Magic Marker)

You gotta love an indie band that doesn’t try to coat their pop songs in faux hipster swagger. Seattle’s Boat – unlike many of their trendy indie brethren in the Pacific Northwest – play straight up pop rock and the result is fantastic. On Setting the Paces, their third full length, the group delivers 14 tracks that would make Cheap Trick put down their double-necked guitars and start taking notes. You can almost imagine a song like “Interstate 5” or “We Want It, We Want It” blasting through a cavernous arena, lighters (or cell phone? It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a stadium show) swaying in unison. Can’t wait to hear what else Boat have in them.