When we encounter new music, a limited number of responses can be expected. There are bands you'll hate immediately, bands that take some getting used to and bands that immediately earn their place on the top shelf of your music collection. The Channel falls in the latter category. Their melodies are so warmly enveloping that it doesn't take long to be hooked by Personalized.

The abbreviated intro track, "Depersonalized", is a good start. Its skittering electronic beats, thundering piano chords and reverbed guitar are the perfect introduction to The Channel's sunny electropop. By the time the title track -- second in the lineup -- begins, you're not only prepared for psych-lite retro pop a la The Beach Boys, you're actually craving it.

A knack for writing catchy vocal melodies is the most notable of The Channel's numerous talents. Each of Personalized's tracks seems to unfold naturally, as if every note was inevitable. "June" pairs a meandering vocal line with choruses of la-la-las, while "Follow You" combines male-female harmonies in a delicate mix. The projected warmth makes it impossible not to sing along; in fact, the vocals are so ingratiating, you'll likely be humming these songs long after the record ends.

Of course, rich vocals alone don't make a great record. Fortunately, The Channel backs up their harmonizing with impressive songwriting. "Inhibition" is a nearly perfect composition, pairing western shuffle with pop glitz, fiddle with electric guitar. Instrumentally, Personalized could only be considered eclectic; The Channel never shies away from accessorizing with whatever tools are at their disposal, from banjo to xylophone, harmonica to handclaps. Far from being slipshod, such additions add texture and depth to the basic guitar/bass/drums lineup. The Channel also earns recording and mixing cred for achieving that much-sought-after-but-rarely-actualized "classic pop" aesthetic.

Although not officially inducted, Personalized should easily earn The Channel a place amongst the dormant Elephant 6 collective. They're as melodic as Neutral Milk Hotel, as retro as Essex Green and as rockin' as Beulah. Above all, they've demonstrated their most important qualification: the ability to write undeniable pop gems.