The Deal: Eight years after debut, Catfish Saturday, was released, Charlotte quartet, The Showgoats, hooks up, again, with producer Jamie Hoover for sophomore album, Lift Off, released on Jan. 27, 2009.

The Good: It may have taken a long time to complete, but the second album from Eric Dunnavant, Chip Holmes, Walter Meadows and Scott Williams has been unleashed to the masses. Hoover also appears as a special guest on the album with credits for guitar, vocals and Wurlitzer. The music is pop-rock with influences such as R.E.M. and The Beatles. A bit of slide guitar on the opening track "Change Your Mind" gives it a bluesy/country feel. The album is heavy on the harmonies, but it's not overdone. The band also promises not to take eight years before its next album is released.

The Bad: The music and rhythm of "Angel" sounded familiar to me during the chorus. It took me another listen before I realized it was a lot like "Gloria." The country feel of "I Don't Mind" seemed a little out of place with the rest of the disc. I'm sure some people will be disappointed that after eight years, they're only getting 10 tracks and less than 40 minutes, but it's better than nothing.

The Verdict: It's easy-to-listen-to rock. It's one of those groups you can see having a good following because they'd appeal to the masses. It's not groundbreaking; it's just good songwriting, production and musicianship. Sometimes, that's all you need.