No-Shadow Kick are an unsigned pop-rock band from Massachusetts. Surprisingly, given the general track record of unsigned pop-rock bands (whether they're from Massachusetts or Fiji), No-Shadow Kick are quite good -- their songs, especially the newer material, are intelligent, hummable and undeniably enjoyable. Their only problem, really, is anonymity; the Billboard charts notwithstanding, the world is full of pop-rock bands that play intelligent, hummable and undeniably enjoyable music, and our culture has scrunched them all into a massive, dense gestalt. The few acts that reach the top of the pile are often disappointed to find that their major-label deal results in an inept or nonexistent marketing push, public indifference and an eternity in one-hit-wonderland -- which, in all fairness, is still far better than bands like No-Shadow Kick ever do. It's not fair, but it's the way the world works.

Which brings us to Promo EP. This holiday offering is apparently half new tracks, and half material culled from 1999's Basement Make-Out Party. Although the odds are against you having heard (of) Basement Make-Out Party, the distinction is important, as the new songs blow the older ones out of the water. There's nothing wrong with "BMX Song", "Scarecrow Waltz" or "The Saviour Made Me Do It", other than their busy, slightly dated, funk-derived sound and the general bulkiness of "Saviour"'s central conceit, but the simplicity and clarity of the holiday-themed "In the Snow" beats them all. "In the Snow" is just plain gorgeous -- a jangly, melodic, beautifully simple indie rock song with a hint of shoegazer fuzz. Guest vocalist Elizabeth Street adds a much-needed female contrast to the chorus, interacting wonderfully with the crystal-clear guitar melody; I hope the band can use her more in future. The surprises don't end there, either; there's a lovely horn and (I think) music box interlude that introduces the looped beat that guides the song to its finish. There's more fun to come: "Double Nothing" is a more riff-intensive song, rich with indie-rock dischord and Britpop-style harmony. "Monks Don't Tell Lies" debuts a stripped-down version of the band's quirkier work, pairing chorused vocals and whining guitars with a canned beat, unleashing thunderous live drumming and processed vocals during its chorus. Like "In the Snow", these songs work well because they're not as busy as the other tunes -- the production is clean, the variety high.

My advice to No-Shadow Kick: burn "In the Snow", "Double Nothing" and "Monks Don't Tell Lies" to a new CD and send that to labels. There's enough variation and skill on display in that fourteen minutes to get you a deal -- if that's what you want.