With their self-titled debut, it’s easy to see that Toronto’s Sweet Thing have Top 40 ambitions. Whether or not they’ll get there remains to be seen.

The album certainly contains elements that suggest they will: the punchy guitars of “Gun,” the shimmering synths of “Lazy Susan,” and the soaring vocals of “A Change of Seasons” are all perfectly pop rock enough to satisfy any fan of the genre, but they still have a long way to go.

The first single, “Dance Mother,” almost lives up to its title, but the chorus fails to deliver the big payoff the frantic verse suggests. Sung in a falsetto, the “I don’t want to dance, motherfucker” refrain comes off sounding far less badass than it should. And while they are  nice displays of stylistic range and strong songs in their own right, both the garage-rocker “Duotang” and album closer “We’re On Fire Tonight” don’t fit with the overall tone of the album. In fact, the latter ends the whole thing with a whimper rather than a bang, an odd final statement considering the worth of upbeat pop songs that precede it.

Also potentially disappointing to long-time fans is the fact that the album’s three best tracks, “A Change of Seasons,” “Winter Night,” and “Kite Fight” appear as shorter versions from their debut EP.

These boys are definitely skilled musicians, crafting some impressive harmonies throughout with chops and pop sensibilities to boot. But not much of the album stays with you once it’s over. It’s not that the tracks themselves are instantly forgettable—there’s just no aftertaste to remind you of what you heard.