I Hate Kate

Embrace The Curse

[3.5/5]

After blessing the scene with the wondrously hooky “It’s Always Better” seemingly eons ago, I Hate Kate have finally released their honest-to-God debut. Embrace The Curse is loaded with jittery, bouncy power-pop confections that are patently impossible to listen to while standing still. It seems IHK have all the bases covered, from ’80s homages (“Story I Can’t Write”), too-good-for-novelty-status pogo-fests (“I’m In Love With A Sociopath”) and the power ballad that’s the last song played at the prom (“It’s You”). You won’t even care that singer Justin Mauriello fronted rap-rock also-rans Zebrahead. Those longing for the days when Hot Hot Heat were a lot less self-conscious and Plain White T’s had more sticky hooks, start smiling: Your new favorite band have (finally) arrived. (GLASSNOTE) Jason Pettigrew