Elsewhere, the keys and brass-powered pop of the timely "Where Did My Summer Go?" is another highlight, as is “Smash,” which has a little bit of R.E.M. in its melodic flavor and vocals. With Easter guiding Baskervilles’ sound, this comes as no surprise. Also, the fine tracks “Have You Seen Them?” and “Sweet And Sour,” sung by vocalist/guitarist Rob Keith, have a noticeable Velvet Underground spirit to them.

One of the only tunes that musically matches what one might normally expect to be the mood of the album based on its title, “Slip A Little And Boom!” starts out with a spooky bass line and continues along with its dark, new wave vibe and delayed guitar effects — in the vein of early The Cure records or a young Dave "The Edge" Evans. However, it is also one of the CD's few unmemorable moments.

The only significant criticism of the album to be had has nothing to do with the music, but the timing of its release. For a sophomore effort that started to be revealed in September 2006, a June 2008 official release of the Twilight CD was a little too long to make fans wait for the whole collection. In just a few months, some of these songs will be two years old!

That said, Baskervilles’ Twilight is an all-around great and fun indie pop record that can be played from start to finish with hardly any hesitation. Having not heard of this band until now, I can’t say if it is a step up or down from its previous album and EP. However, when over 90% of the music here is undeniably enjoyable, it has to be at least as fine, if not better than anything the group has done before. And Mitch Easter’s dynamic and first-rate production on this record likely brought out the best in Baskervilles, as they touch on everything from playful modern indie pop, Sire new wave to 60s Brit pop.

So, whatever issues one may have with the timing of this release, intentional or unintentional, Twilight should be near the top of your list of Best Summer Records of 2008.

To listen to some Baskervilles music, go to their Myspace page, and to download "You Can Never Go Back," an exclusive non-album track that was part of the monthly singles project, visit their official website.

Recommended If You Like: Velvet Underground, Belle & Sebastian, Apples In Stereo, or indie Pop.