Even though the Idle Jets are based in the heart of big hat country, you'd be hard-pressed to find a hint of yodelling or a line-dancing rhythm on their debut outing.   Instead, they've plundered the archives of sweet British pop sounds, from The Beatles all the way through to Squeeze.   Main songwriter Pat Buchanan has a penchant for direct statements of love and affection, and he rattles them off to Mallory, Christina, Lady Satellite, and Penelope Wilde to name but a few.   Every song is etched with the kind of aching romanticism that simmers in the collapse of a relationship, the result being a collection of tunes every bit like Crowded House at their most Fabs-inspired.   Mojo

Great jangly pop is alive and well all over Atomic Fireball, whether your preference is the flat-out rev of the title track or the sweet pulse and bounce of "Penelope Wilde".   Lead singer Pat Buchanan is a flat-out great singer, maybe the best voice I've heard all year.   Paste that in front of a band that is as versatile as it is talented and you're in for a real keeper.  Bucketful of Brains

The Idle Jets deliver a bubbling amalgam of classic American rock and punchy British power pop:  paying homage to the fast, clean shiny sound of Cheap Trick, Flamin' Groovies, Dwight Twilly, and Squeeze.   Completely intoxicating. **** (4 stars)  Q magazine

The Idle Jets must have used Badfinger's album "Straight Up" as the divining source on its exceptional new collection of pop gems "Atomic Fireball".   Buchanan and company Pete Hamm-it-up through such catchy, carefully arranged tunes as "Everytime I'm With You" and the romantic ballad "Climbing Up the Hill".   While mainstream pop radio is fixated by the bubble gum sounds of the Britney Spear-mints and boy band bon-bons, few programmers have noticed that there is a resurgence under way with such groups as the Tories, Fountains of Wayne, American Flag, Apples in Stereo and more.   Now, put the Idle Jets at the top of that list.   Tallahassee Democrat

Having made a strong impression with their contribution to 1998's Nashpop compilation, we get the chance to hear more from this Nashville-based band - and the impression just keeps getting stronger.   A four-piece that opts for a keyboard in place of the more common rhythm guitar, Idle Jets run roughshod throughout Atomic Fireball.   Moving freely from slow rockers (Every Time You're With Me) to pop anthems (the opening Genius Of The Obvious, where all band members play aggressively as if their lives depended on it) to the occasional walk on the wilder side (the fierce title track), Idle Jets can do it all.   Noteworthy arrangements include the slow, almost Prince-like (!), funk beat that accompanies the hard choppy guitar on Lady Satellite.   Keyboardist Tony Harrell's organ adds much to the acoustic Mallory, and the full All The Umbrellas finds guitarist Pat Buchanan delivering the finest vocal on the set.   Even more delicate and powerful is the lovely Sinking Feeling, a closer that leaves the listener wanting more.   Tracks like these, along with their Nashpop contributions (both Christina and Penelope Wilde appear here as well), make Idle Jets a band to watch, and a band with a truly exciting future ahead of them.   Lucky us.   (***1/2 out of 5 stars)  Shake It Up

My Lennon/Cheap Trick/early Who fix for 1999, a volume-up windows-down blast!   If only excellent vocalist Pat Buchanan were on the airwaves as much as his namesake, The Fat White Preacher From Hell.   Amplifier

The Idle Jets are Nashville Babylonians who follow a similar slipstream to the Shazam.   In other words, they've got melodies with serious attitude.    CD Choice