** 1/2 Tsar, “Tsar,” Hollywood.

With bubbly, Brit-pop-style ditties about heartbreak and rebellion, this L.A. band comes off like sonic superheroes out to save the world. Their debut is packed with tight yet slight melodies anchored by punchy guitar hooks and whimsical harmonies. Bowie-meets-Cheap-Trick-meets-Oasis odes are far from exceptional or original, but Tsar somehow manages to make these still feel refreshingly exuberant.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.