Tom’s House emerged two years ago and in blazingly quick fashion established itself as one of the city’s hottest new alternative acts (no great claim, I realize). It’s easy to understand why they were such a hit: They’re tight, the product of years spent polishing their chops in Top 40 cover band Black Diamond. They’re cute, an attribute made disturbingly clear in virtually every article written about them. And they’re professionals, approaching the band with careerist aspirations, savvy marketing and sage legal representation. Pirates should note that the name Tom’s House is a registered trademark. It seems pretty clear that Tom’s House wants to be bigger than Jesus.

So there was every reason to suspect I would hate this record—really, really hate it. But to my intense surprise, I don’t hate it. I like it. Quite a bit in fact. Despite the pretty-boy baggage and explicit commercial consciousness, Tom’s House are absolute pros when it comes to writing pop songs, and re.wired is loaded with expertly-crafted, harmony laden modern rock. re.wired rocks with a harder edge than their 1997 debut, and whether that’s a natural evolution or a calculated strategy, there’s no denying that Tom’s House 1999 is a veritable alternative rock jukebox, with shades of Blink 182, Harvey Danger, Collective Soul, Third Eye Blind and other modern rock sounds, all flavored with their trademark three-part harmonies. I’ve got mixed feelings about those bands, but I really like harmonies and I love pop hooks, and Tom’s House packs their songs with effortless hooks. Lead track “It’s Over” combines crunchy guitars, good vocals and a catchy chord progression and chorus. “Sister Mary” is fast, heavy and boasts a sublimely memorable chorus. “I’m Broken” sounds like what a reincarnated Loverboy might sound like. “Ticket” is a catchy rock song that’s a dead ringer for Deadeye Dick. “Mess I’m In” is harmony fueled slack rock. “Frankie Baby” has a terrific chorus, and the hook to “Shelly” instantly insinuates itself in your brain and never lets go. After a couple of listenings, it’s hard not to nod along with these airy pop pleasures.

That’s not to say it’s a masterpiece. The harmonies, however true, get a little redundant after a while, and some of the vocal mannerisms are irritating. Their excursions into funky rock and sensitive ballads, which stray into boy band blandness, don’t do much for me, but thankfully those are only stylistic detours from Tom’s House’s primary course of glossy guitar pop. While it may not boast the most distinctive sound in the pop arena, re.wired is very contemporary, very commercial leaning, very Gen-X-TV-sitcom-theme sounding. Which is generally enjoyable and, I think, basically what they’re aiming for. They probably won’t knock Beck off of many Best of the Year lists, but with the likes Backstreet Boys, Creed and the Dave Matthews Band dominating the charts, Tom’s House gets my vote over Better Than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth as best local pop band for the new millennium.