The Bobbleheads take being sunny seriously. Automatic Fun, the debut album of the San Francisco trio, bounds along with easy pop that begs to be clapped, or at least tapped, along to. Unabashedly upbeat, their music is ear candy in the best sense, with driving guitar beats and a fair share of la-la-la’s. Their literate brand of pop harkens back a bit to masters of the form like Marshall Crenshaw and XTC, while keeping its own individual feel. Lead singer John Ashfield never attempts to overpower the songs, instead rightly allowing the infectious melodies to carry the day.

Packed with a whopping 19 tracks, Automatic Fun is filled with catchy hooks wrapped around lyrics that hint at self-doubt while casting a hopeful eye towards the redemptive powers of love. The band plays just about everything “up” which allows it to get away with most anything lyrically. Even when they delve into shiny, happy sexual candor, as they do on “#37 Bus,” they manage to make a line like “You’re bent over, I am driving, my love’s coming through” sound as innocent as a Donny Osmond tune.

The band also indulges in a little hero worship with “Why Not Smile?” which manages to pay homage to Joni Mitchell while also tweaking her famously downbeat ways. Though, even when they're poking fun, the band keeps a fairly light touch, without say the snarkiness of Barenaked Ladies. Another cut, “Bedazzler” captures a kind of crowd-pleasing bar band on a Friday night vibe that makes you actually want to go see them perform it live. Even breaking out a cello, as they do on the more sedated “Plans” fails to slow things down too terribly much.

Also, while it’s not necessarily here nor there, the first time I played this CD my two-year-old son bounced along to it in it’s entirety, which is perhaps fitting for a band who’s singer works by day as an elementary school music teacher. Then again, being able to appeal to a wide range of people is one test of really good pop music, and The Bobbleheads pass that with flying colors.