Springtime's *After School* captures that moment in early-eighties pop-rock where ambition and accessibility meet without apology. Released on Lion Baby Records, this Austrian outfit inhabits the glossy, hook-laden world of AOR that dominated FM radio in 1983—all polished production and memorable melodies wrapped around solid musicianship. The title track and "The World We Live In" showcase a band comfortable with both the earnest sentiment and the radio-friendly sheen their era demanded, steering clear of cynicism. There's a particular Austrian straightforwardness to how they approach these songs, a directness that feels refreshingly unironic against the production sheen. If you remember when rock radio still played things with real hooks and genuine arrangement craft, this vinyl is worth hearing.