Lazy rock fans whose lack of adventure keeps breathing life into classic rock's bloated corpse - or who just want to hear a band that's an extension of Top 40 radio - have got it made in this town. Cover bands and the venues that book them threaten to take over. And they'd almost get away with it, too, if it weren't for those Meddling Kids.

The Meddling Kids is smart pop quartet producing extremely catchy, potentially radio-friendly rock 'n' roll. Though initially sucked into the swirling cover song vortex when it formed five years ago, the Rochester band now blazes ahead with some bright, tight, and outta sight original music on its self-titled debut release.

That's how it was always supposed to be.

"Originally we wanted to do our own stuff," says singer/guitarist Tyler Norton. "But with Rochester you kinda have to play covers for people to come out and see the shows."

Perhaps if bands refused to play covers, clubs would get the hint and fans would have to - gasp! - listen to something new. Drummer Billy Eberts is down with the moratorium, but concedes that a lot of bands would cave.

"Because of the money," he says.

OK, how about bullshitting the audience a little? Play an original and tell 'em it's a cover.

"We've actually done the opposite," says guitarist Jeremy Rezz. "Played a cover and said it was our song. It was a Smokey Robinson song but it was obscure enough."

If you spin The Meddling Kids' new disc you'll immediately hear the band's understanding of rock music's originality, and its limits. Rockers are running out of places to go that haven't already been trod by The Stones, The Beatles, or their disciples. And that's where fans tend to get fed up and cling to the bosom of the old stuff. In order to stay unique, new music is often just too weird.

One of the precious few remaining bastions of originality is the construction and re-working of established sounds. That's just what The Meddling Kids do with brilliant execution.

There's Cheap Trick, The Ramones, The Goo Goo Dolls, and even The Beatles thrashing around in this band's mix. But somehow - and this is where the talent comes in - it doesn't end up sounding like any of those influences. It's pop, only louder and a little heavier. It's rock with finesse and flourish. It's familiar and it's fresh. It was easier than the band had initially thought.

"We were surprised how simple the process actually was," Norton says.

"It was chemistry that worked right from the get-go," says bassist Brian Eberts. Eberts and his drummer brother, Billy, grew up in Webster playing together and are frequently referred to by the band as one entity.

"The brothers Eberts," Norton says. "They basically grew up as a rhythm section."

This is a two-headed rock 'n' roll rhythm monster that, frankly, would go to waste in a cover band. The brothers Eberts give the band's pop its power. The songs are well-written, hook-laden bursts of cool. And it's the band's heavier big amp, big riff approach that brings the rock. The Kids prove melody doesn't always have to be placid or soft.

The production on the new disc is fantastic, too. Laid to tape at the now-defunct Red Room Studios on Sanford Street and mixed down at GFI in Webster, this is one of the best-produced records to come out of Rochester in a while. It's crisp, tight, loud, and punchy. It's slick. And an opening track "Let Her Go" is a smash hit just waiting to smash. All that's left is to get off the couch and dig the band.

"We try to put on the show we want to see from other bands [but] usually don't," says Billy Eberts.

With the dawn of this new disc and the regional touring that entails, everyone's gonna get the chance to love The Meddling Kids. There are already four people that do in a big way.

"You've made your mark by reaching people with your music," Norton says. "Even if it's just the four of us."