Calvin Locklear

Michael Roberts October 9, 2008 4:00AM

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Although the moniker slapped on "You're Fired!," the lead track from Calvin Locklear's new EP, can't help but conjure Trumpian expectations, the ditty itself is an improbably buoyant affair, replete with jangly guitars and chooglin' percussion that build up plenty of pop pleasure. The cuts that follow aren't quite up to that standard, but neither do they fall flat. If "River Jordan" proves more meandering than necessary, "Carbonation" bubbles along nicely, the title tune locates the charm in simplicity, and "Talking Backwards" gets serious — even adding strings — without squelching Locklear's melodic sensibilities. Granted, his singing voice isn't terribly distinctive and his lyrics don't always add up. Yet by getting the most out of what he's got, he makes Dance well worth taking for a spin.

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Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports and stories that defy categorization.

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