Lake Street Dive's "Side Pony" lives up to its promise

Reviewers have called Lake Street Dive's music everything from "Retro R&B" to "Jazz/Pop" to "Neo-Soul." But who needs categories? We enjoy tossing many styles of music into our Birch Street Radio mix, so a band that stirs up its own special blend is more than welcome.

We've already been playing a few tracks from the band's fifth album, "Side Pony" - and now that it's been fully released, you'll be hearing more of it. It's a well-crafted album (okay, maybe even a bit slick) by a band that's just an awful lot of fun to listen to. While the title track is a rather light confection, it's followed by a dynamite rocker, "Hell Yeah," that's probably our favorite. Another highlight is the very funky "Can't Stop."

Speaking of reviews, we recommend the one at Paste: "A fully realized Lake Street Dive has finally arrived and announced itself as a force to be reckoned with."