What do men do with their almost-inevitable string of bad relationships? Do they learn all the wrong lessons and torture each successive woman in the string? Swear off women forever and drink bitterly with the guys in singles bars? Or write pop songs? Obviously, the answer is all of the above, and probably in equal numbers, and though it’s in many ways an unfair reduction, the Boondoggles’ new album, Spark, falls into this category.

You won’t notice this for a few listens. Spark is first and foremost a collection of attractive, well-constructed, well-performed rootsy pop songs—think of the Continental Drifters with a much tighter focus. Every one of Robert Johnston’s songs has a solid hook and his lyrics are carefully and intelligently crafted. If there’s any justice, every radio station that has played Cowboy Mouth will also play the title track.

For all the talent evident on Spark, the one thing missing is a realness that, unfortunately, matters over the course of an album. The lyrics are so carefully constructed and fitted to the song that they become less an expression of a personal thought than a properly-metered expression of a generalized romantic melancholy. As a result, Johnston sounds less like a guy with women problems than a guy working with traditional pop subject matter in traditional ways, but you sort of wish he had some issues he couldn’t mediate away. A few genuine, personal touches could take this band to the next level.