Ball of Wax 44 Songs: Mts. and Tunnels – Not Bad

On “Not Bad,” Seattle’s Mts. and Tunnels go full pop doo-wop and they absolutely kill it. While the first “bum, ba bum”‘s of the barbershop quartet bass parts seem a tad hokey for a second, the lead vocal and harmony parts chase away any fears that “Not Bad” might be not that good. “Not Bad” is actually pretty great, the kind of clear-hearted, unencumbered pop goodness that one might presume would have been a feel-good radio hit at some point in the hazy past. The vocal performances are really impressive; lead Mts. and Tunneller Chris Poage lands a passionate, throaty  “This heart of mine / with that heart of yours / channels a power / that can blow off the doors” without a trace of sarcasm or pastiche.  The song then pull off bridge and turnaround before landing back in the bouncy, super satisfying verse. Just really well-written, well-arranged and well-performed stuff.