Fastball weeds out the fans of N’Sync and Britney Spears with their new release, “The Harsh Light of Day”–an album full of edgy, post-modern pop.

“Instead of tailoring the music for short attention spans,” said Fastball’s Mike Zuniga, “we tried to make an album that holds up well to extensive listening.”

The album is a string of infectious hooks, with a sound reminiscent of the Beatles, and a little Elvis Costello thrown in.

“You’re an Ocean,” the album’s debut single, is the stuff hit singles are made of, with piano by Billy Preston producing a background of lush instrumentation for the band’s breezy vocals. This is the kind of song you turn on the radio hoping to hear.

Bandmember Tony Scalzo’s talent for songwriting is showcased in “Love is Expensive and Free,” a different take on the traditional love and lost idea, with a mariachi vibe courtesy of Jose Hernandez and his orchestra to spice things up.

The album’s 12 songs reflect the band’s stylistic diversity, from calm, introspective songs like “Goodbye” to wild guitar riffs in “Wind Me Up” to an almost haunting sound in “Funny How it Fades Away.”

The alternative punk-pop trio from Austin, Texas attributes this range to different musical influences such as Costello and AC/DC.

Fastball’s sophomore release in 1998, “All the Pain Money Can Buy,” put them on the map, but was kind of forgotten after “The Way” and “Out of My Head” left the charts–we’ll see what happens with “The Harsh Light of Day,” which seems to promise a little more longevity.