Nationwide

Israeli psych pop quartet RockFour are tough to pigeon-hole. Formed in the Tel Aviv suburb of Holon, they began playing together during military service, and developed a repertoire of original songs in Hebrew and English. Tipping their berets to the Moody Blues, Teardrop Explodes, and The Zombies, RockFour convincingly marries The Byrds & Bowie, updating it with 21st century panache. "Nationwide" is the follow up to their breakthrough album "Another Beginning." Here they wear their prog-pop sensibilities well: chiming 12-string jangle, classic rock riffing, and clever atonal squalls of lead drive this recording into the arena of '70s rock. It echoes The Cars, ELO, Queen, and at times vintage Squeeze, while the guitar playing evokes classic Robert Fripp and Jimmy Page dueling with Sonic Youth, while retaining a psychedelic dose of early Pink Floyd and The Byrds. "Nationwide" was recorded at Ghetto Recorders in Detroit by Jim Diamond.