Rookie Card
Near Mint

San Diegans can rest assured knowing that along with Rookie Card's debut EP First Day of Class, released years ago last year, there is also a brand-spanking new full-length album that goes by the name Near Mint.
The most glaring initial oddity is the album's title. Rookie Card is firmly based in the beautiful metropolis known as San Diego, which is nowhere near any city or town by the name of "Mint," so why the title? Maybe they just meant to call it "Spearmint" and there was a miscommunication with the printing factory.
Of course I kid, Near Mint is obviously one of the many, MANY, (too many perhaps?) references to baseball or baseball card collecting these guys are notorious for. The correct reference point for the title "Near Mint" can be extolled via the following sample conversation:

Person #1: Hello friend, did you get that new Rookie Card CD, Near Mint?

Person #2: Yes friend, I did. I opened it but I haven't listened to it yet.

Person #1: So you're telling me, friend, that it's in "near mint" condition?

Person #2: Yes friend, that would be correct since if it was still in it's original plastic shrink-wrap purchase state, the condition would be considered "mint."

Person #1: Yes, mint as in perfect condition, friend.

Person #3: Well friends, then I guess I have an old Whitesnake CD that’s in mint condition because I received it as a gift in '89 and never opened it 'cuz I knew it would suck.

I can't say the advance copy I received of Near Mint is in "near mint" condition anymore since I have been spinning the shit out of that little nugget of joy. The album blows their old EP out of the water and proves that Rookie Card is more than just an energetic live rock act; they are also more than capable of writing enough kick ass originals to form a rock-solid full-length.
The sound is pretty straight-forward pop-rock with some southern soul thrown in to mix it up a bit. If I could guess major influences I'd say Big Star, Posies, Tom Petty, The Kinks, and, of course, The Beatles. What I found most startling on my initial listen is how closely lead singer/additional axe man Adam Gimbel's voice resembles that of Minus 5/Young Fresh Fellows front man Scott McCaughey. Both singers share a love of irony, harmonies, and pop-songs. And come to think of it, their music is pretty darn interchangeable. Maybe Gimbel will follow McCaughey's footsteps to being the next R.E.M. multi-instrumental sideman.
Okay, now back to reality.
It should certainly be stated that the other members of the band, Nasr Helewa on drums, Dylan Martinez on guitar, and recently departed bassist Jason Hee all give performances which lead you to believe they are anything but rookies. The tight-playing and varying song-structures certainly couldn’t be tackled by a bunch of amateurs.
So what about the songs? Well numero dos, "Constantly Waiting" is notable for it’s great use of vocal "ooo's" over a sweet guitar solo. "The Sun Always Shines on Christmas" is a bic-lighter worthy anthem, even though the claim made by the title is almost certainly false. "Repeat to Fade" is a sonic homage to all things great about southern rock-even though it doesn’t mention Jack Daniels. "Gimme Closure" sounds like late-era Superdrag (just last year actually) and may be the albums most eligible hooker. As in hooking listeners the first time they hear it. Get your mind out of the gutter.
So get off yer ass already and go out and buy this album. Don't burn it from a friend either cuz these guys are most definitely genuinely poor starving artists who could actually use the money to perform such amazing feats as buying lunch at Arby's.