At the tender age of 14, Ben Kweller and his band Radish were already being touted as the next Nirvana. This prediction didn't exactly pan out, but now an older and much wiser Kweller (18) returns with his debut solo outing Sha Sha. You wouldn't want to call him mature because his tunes revel in the adolescent playfulness that smacks of Weezer, combined with the quirky side of the Eels. Still his lyrics are solid and there are many moments on the album that recall the contemplative side of Ben Folds. Stylistically, Kweller is impossible to pigeon hole, as are just the majority of the worthwhile indie bands. There are a number of tunes that recall the alt/country sound of local faves The Trigger Locks. The album's major weakness is that it never strays from the confines of the 3 minute pop song, but it's a trifling complaint. Cool record.