Good News and Old News

Few pop groups have inspired the kind of support--and vitriol--as the Knack. On the strength of such hit singles as “My Sharona” and “Good Girls Don’t,” the L.A. quartet’s 1979 debut, “Get the Knack,” reached No. 1 and sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.

At the same time, the group’s sexist lyrics and perceived insincerity fueled a “Nuke the Knack” backlash, one that played no small role in the group’s short-lived success.

Now, the Knack is back, with three of the four original members: singer Doug Feiger, lead guitarist Berton Averre and bassist Prescott Niles. (Ex-Missing Persons, ex-Frank Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio has replaced Bruce Gary.)

Yet the only thing the reunited group’s new album, “Zoom,” is likely to unleash is a big yawn.

While the Knack never had much lyrically on its mind, the quartet was a singles band that did create some catchy, memorable melodies and appealing vocal harmonies. The hits had snappy hooks that many ingested as guilty pleasures.

Yet “Zoom” packs no punch. The 14-song collection is a harmless, uninvolving exercise filled with forgettable choruses and melodies. Nothing about the words or music draws a listener in.

Amazingly, there isn’t a hummable tune in the bunch.

On a more positive note, the Knack’s mean-spiritedness--directed mainly at females--has evaporated. Songs such as “Can I Borrow a Kiss” and “Smilin’ ” even offering glimpses of tenderness. The semi-ballad “You Gotta Be There” even exposes a welcome vulnerability and sense of romantic longing.

Those thematic upgrades, however, aren’t enough to save this comeback attempt. More characteristic of “Zoom” is the generic-sounding, three- or four-minute pop song that’s sonically polished but lacks imagination. Ironically, the album opens with “Pop Is Dead,” a Who sound-alike in which Feiger barks out, “Pop is dead . . . bring your shovels.”

If this is the best the Knack can come up with, it’s proved the point.

To know pop’s not dead, look no further than such local acts as One Hit Wonder, the Liquor Giants, Chewy Marble and Walter Clevenger for contemporary musicians capable of crafting fresh, inspired, glistening pop confections.

Nuke the Knack? Why bother?

* The Knack and Parkaimoon perform tonight at the Galaxy Concert Theatre, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana. 8 p.m. $16.50-$18.50. (714) 957-0600.

Albums are rated on a scale of * (poor) to **** (excellent), with *** denoting a solid recommendation.