After spending some time “undercover” as one of the Double Naught Spies and the Maple Mars' debut album a coupla years ago, Rick Hromadka comes back with his best work to date.

Instead of the occasional programmed rhythm, taking away a part of some of the songs from the debut, Circular Haze is the work of real men in its entirety.

Not unlike most of fellow L.A. power-pop scenesters, the Maple Mars sound is all wrapped up in product ional sophistication, be it the rocking little tunes full of Jellyfishin' Beatle references like First Chick In Space and Golden People or an “utopistic” take on some of Brian Wilson's late '60s teenage symphonies, which is Undiscovered ... And speaking of Brian, The Soft Carousel might easily pass for an unreleased “pet sound”, unearthed through the recent, Wondermints-backed tour.

Some of the songs (Walk Of Fame, Silver Spy Satellite...) bring to mind/ears some of the top Swedish power-popsters like The Merrymakers (another Jelly-hint) or Dorian Gray (also a “Merry-made” production) but if you want an unbeatable commercial potential of the highest order, take Good Time For A Friend, capable of making the crowd go crazy on a hot sunny day of any of the summer festivals and also out-Noeling “our kid” in his own game.

The album ends with the McCartney-ish-in-a-Crowded-House-way song Home, taking you back 'ome, out of the trippy “circular haze”, which is sure to leave your mind blurred for a long while.