Perhaps the best -- and worst — thing anyone could say in describing the Trolleyvox is that they sound like the New Pornographers with a boost of girl power. This isn't to say that the Philadelphia-based power-poppers are a band content with riding the rock coattails of other groups, nor is it to cast the growing shadow of Neko Case onto Trolleyvox lead singer Beth Filla.

Indeed, the similarities suggest that the Trolleyvox are a band poised to make the jump from relatively unnoticed underground rockers to... well, appreciated underground rockers. Their newest release, The Trolleyvox Present the Karaoke Meltdowns, is certainly a step in the right direction.

The album begins by lulling you into a false set of expectations as a short preamble echoes the tempo and tonality of the band's 2003 album Leap of Folly, but quickly puts the guitars to work with the rollicking "Just You Wait," a refreshing reminder that political messages can still come in fun packages. With Filla's warm, friendly voice and Andrew Chalfen's smart lyrics and guitar, the song ranks up with Rilo Kiley's "It's a Hit" in terms of political pop perfection. The preamble's arrangement returns, by the way, towards the end of the album in the amped-up "Whisper Down the Lane."

Throughout the album, even in slower numbers like "Twilight Hotel," the Trolleyvox maintain a kind of measured chaos. The mid-tempo, harmony-heavy "I Know That You're High" makes tonal references to the 60's power-pop bands that influenced the Trolleyvox and their contemporaries. Meanwhile, "Deep Blue Central" is a gorgeously stripped-down track that uses nothing but acoustic guitar and a horse-drawn carriage sound effect beneath Filla's stunning vocals.

The Trolleyvox Present the Karaoke Meltdowns is one of those albums that you'll listen to and want to dance around to like an idiot. Mixing melancholy and freak-out rock like a fine cocktail, it is, without a doubt, an album you don't want to miss.