In early 2008, locked away in their rehearsal space, The Respectables, (Nick Piunti, vocals-guitar, Joey Gaydos, lead guitar, and Donn Deniston, drums) hammered out the songs that would become their new release, "Sibley Gardens". The idea was to continue what they started on their 2005 debut, only this time make it better than before. Did they succeed? From the CD's opening line "Brought you back from the dead" to the last "When you gonna be mine", one would have to say without a doubt, "Oh Yeah"! Melodic Power Pop? Sure, but with a Detroit difference. With raspy vocals, nitro fueled guitar solos, straight ahead four on the floor drums, the assembly line is now cranking out brand new Motor City rock in it's finest traditions. Songs that get to the point in a hurry and stay with you long after the three minutes are over. R-E-S-P-E-C-T for The Respectables? Absolutely! The Reviews are in: WHOA!! My kind of pop, man! This one hits right between the eyes. Please, this is where I, respectfully, ask you to stop reading and get listening to the sound bites below because the story is there not in the black n white of these words. Come back in a few mintues okay? All right. Thanks for indulging me. Pop with attitude, eh? Yeah, there is some of that Replacements Mid West rock thing going on - It..s classic rock for the power pop sect with its mixture of Keith Richards/Stones guitar riffs and a soulful punch of tasteful keys mixed in here and there. PASSION GUTS and TUNES! -Bruce Brodeen, Not Lame Recordings. Extremely Highly Recommended! CD of the Day, 12/13/08: The Respectables-Sibley Gardens Martha Reeves once sang "Can't forget the Motor City", and in 2008 that admonition certainly applies to the power pop community. With great releases from bands such as The Offramps and The Romeo Flynns already on the books, up step The Respectables to keep the Detroit power pop flag flying high. Motown may not be getting much love from Washington DC these days, but it should be getting some from you as Sibley Gardens is another Detroit-based winner. Like the bands mentioned above, The Respectables bring the characteristic Motor City grit to their power pop, and leadoff track and first single "Charged by the Minute" gets down to brass tacks right away - think Mitch Ryder meets Cheap Trick. The midtempo "Could It Be" allows Nick Piunti (who has the appropriately raspy voice for these tunes) & Company to show off their melodic gifts in service of a fine Westerbergian number. "To My Knees" is a retro-sounding gem that has some melodic elements in common with "Paint It, Black", and "When You Come Around" is a raucous rocker that still delivers the hooks. Other standouts include "Bottom of the Sea", an Oasis-style rocker, the staccato guitars (and ukelele!) of "From This Place", the bluesy hard rock of "Pick Your Poison" and "When You Gonna Be Mine", which closes the album not with a wimpy ballad but with another capital-D Detroit rocker. So make sure you check out The Respectables. For only $11, you can help keep a Detroit industry afloat, and you get a rocking CD in return. -absolutepowerpop