The Tough & Lovely make me want to be both. Their new album, Teardrops, is infused with a 60's rock flavor and cosmic sound that appeals to true rock enthusiasts. Straightforward drumming, killer guitar riffs, and even a little organ and tambourine mix up Teardrops, and like "More, more, more" proclaims, The Tough & Lovely "can show you just what your body is for." Yeah. Shaking.

Andrew Robertson's talented electric strumming may fall just shy of Lara Yazvac's achy-breaky vocals. Some may say that Yazvac sounds part Joplin, or part Grace Slick (most famous as lead singer in Jefferson Airplane), but her pipes are truly her own—a microcosm as to why The Tough & Lovely are so good. Each member of the band brings distinct talent and groove to each of the tracks. Their sound is full and pulsating, a force that is as present as it is nostalgic.

Their best track may be "Ain't No Lie" a California-style song that features up front drumming that pushes you to twist and jump. It's as if the band set up on a surfboard, paddled out to sea, and rocked fearlessly on a monster wave crashing around them.

Two other solid tracks are "Little Star" and "Heavenly Bodies Fall." "Little Star" features whimsical harmonization, an old-time Western feel, haunting flute, and elegant guitar reminiscent of the plucking in No Doubt's "Don't Speak." "Heavenly Bodies Fall" is a nasty conclusion, similarly reminiscent of the Western cowboy days, but with a darker and heavier undertone—a gallop imitated by deep bass guitar and steady drumming. The guitar soars over our ears in triumphant tones, and Yazvac adds sweet but searing "ooohs" to complete an apocalyptic song.

Teardrops is a return to the past, a look to the future, and a lingering musical hope for the present.