The Donuts have frontman named Bearclaw and a drummer who calls himself Fathead, and their sound is as indulgent as their names imply. Buckley's mix of cynicism and sharp pop structures effortlessly evokes Elvis Costello. The comparison works in more ways than one -- their eclectic sonic palette includes the power-pop anthem "Hey John What", the ballad "Nice to You", the twangy, guitar-driven "Waylaid", and the college-radio-ready "Shake".

Also like Costello, most of the Donuts' songs run less than three minutes, but they do a lot with their modest runtime. In "Jumper", they imagine San Francisco from the viewpoint of a suicidal pedestrian on the Golden Gate Bridge, while "Hallowed Halls" finds beauty in an airport cigarette vendor.

Buckley's immediate melodies and poignant imagery help to make The Donuts more nourishing than their name suggests, without going overboard with dull, doughy filler. Who knew Donuts could be good for you?