The Resonars

Are the Resonars a “real band” or aren’t they? Only Matt Rendon knows for sure, and he’s not saying (yet). To paraphrase the immortal Bard, what’s in a band . . . as long as platters as nifty as Nonetheless Blue result? Tucson’s Resonars is basically singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Matt Rendon (Vultures, Knockout Pills) and has, from time to time, included other players for live performances. Rendon mines the abundant lode of British Invasion-era pop/rock (circa 1964-1966) — two-minutes-plus songcraft (none of Blue‘s 12 tracks is longer than three minutes); succinctly jangling guitars; snappy and/or crackling tempos (à la the Who, circa “Substitute”); and gauzy, earnest harmonies recalling such ’60s UK outfits as the Hollies and Searchers (for younger readers, the Posies and the Elephant 6 axis of Apples in Stereo, Elf Power, etc.). The wry folk-rocker “Game of Fear” is the best song the Monkees never did, the volatile “No Problem At All” and “As a Matter of Fact” are primo Mod-pop psychedelia, and the surging, majestic “Sinking Is Slow” defines power-pop. Retro? Well, yeah — but Rendon injects his pastiches with enough spunk and personality to make Nonetheless Blue a crackerjack listen, start to finish.