by Denise Sullivan

As The Three O'Clock matured, they naturally got better technically, but in this case it wasn't necessarily a good thing. No longer a loose garage outfit, keen production by L.A. pop whiz Earle Mankey put the keyboards up front, and next to vocalist Mikey Quercio's unusually high voice, the band ended up sounding a little twee. Still, "When Lightning Starts" is irresistibly cute, and their choice of cover material was always inspiring; the version of the Bee Gees' "In My Own Time" included here is a perfect fit.