Vertical Scratchers "Daughter of Everything " (Merge Records)

Vertical Scratchers is the new collaboration between John Schmersal of Brainiac and Enon and drummer Christian Beaulieu of Triclops! and Anywhere. Both Brianiac and Enon had catchy songs deserving of wider popularity than they attained, and with John's more experimental tendencies finding their outlet in his other band Crooks On Tape, which reunites the original Enon line up, the debut Vertical Scratchers album on Merge Records has enough direct pop hooks and Kink-y melodies to get Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices singing, which he does on "Get Along Like U." The fast escape route rhymer "Way Out" is the sort of song that should be number one in a revolution summer.