It’s been written and rewritten on page after page of magazine stock.

First there was, “These guys are hook-addicts!” from one rock journalist. Then, “Practically a four-man hook factory,” from another. And, “What do a million fishermen and The Jellybricks have in common? They have the same number of hooks,” from yet another.

Admittedly, even this journalist has been hook, line and sinker-ed on occasion: “It’s almost inconceivable that a band could stuff as many hooks into a single song – let alone a single album – as The Jellybricks consistently do …”

While scouring the mountain of critical praise that’s creaking the joints of my desk, I’m bobbing my head to white-hot riffage and layer-cake harmonies worthy of Pet Sounds; Power This!, the third and latest Jellybricks outing, is rattling the office stereo speakers. This is power pop done right, fried with a cherry on top.

And once again it hits me.

Every time, no matter how often it’s been stated before, no matter how hackneyed the pageantry, it deserves restating: This band is mother-hooking awesome.

Then the nagging question that inevitably follows on its heels comes. Again.

In January, the band will have been together for 10 years. Why, then, with four strong songwriters, three records that would make the Fab Four proud, pockets of diehard fans all across the country, a minor radio hit and a decade with barely a single defamatory review, haven’t The Jellybricks’ hooks reeled in a bigger fish?

“I have theories,” Larry Kennedy shrugs politely. “But I have no idea of the validity of any of them.” The lead Brick sounds like a college professor, or perhaps more accurately, rock and roll’s nicest guy. His pleasantries conceal any morsel of angst, which only begins to startle when you consider the near misses The Jellybricks have been plagued with over the past 10 years.

They could have just as easily penned the theme song to “Friends,” or scored a Dr. Pepper commercial with a hit like “Stacy’s Mom” – but realistically, these are rarities; there’s a vast sea of “Stacy’s Moms” out there, and the industry only bites every so often, generally opting for a different kind of bait.

“We’re not really the sort of band that is ever going to be in the frame of mind to write a song like, ‘I like your pants around your feet,’ unless there’s some really humorous payoff coming,” Kennedy chuckles. “Sometimes I feel like what we’re doing is just not as basic or lowest-common-denominator appealing as what they’ve been looking to sign.”

But chatting with Kennedy, it’s also apparent that that’s not entirely the point. With the ephemeral radio success of “Who Is God” from the first Bricks record (Kinky Boot Beast, 1997) as well as few large-scale showcases for major label A&R reps early on, the band “became distracted by the possibility of success,” Kennedy admits. “Nine-plus years later, a great deal of that has evaporated for us around here,” he continues. “It’s been possible for us to get refocused on the music because we are not considered to be ‘the next big thing.’”

And focusing back on the music is precisely what Kennedy and company have done over the past handful of years; the 14 pop scorchers on Power This! were the big payoff. Sort of.

After the quick rise and even quicker decline surrounding the band’s sophomore effort (Soapopera, 1999), an overall weariness set in. “When we got around to working on Power This! it was very much like, ‘What are we even gonna do with this?’” Kennedy explains. “In fact, we were more likely to break up than finish that record.” But that’s all water under the bridge of the fishing hole where the Bricks cast those indelible hooks. As we all know, there was no impending breakup, Power This! was released to (surprise, surprise) flattering reviews and now plans for next record are percolating.

“When the focus is on, ‘Are we ever gonna make money at this or are we ever gonna be recognized in a way that would make it possible for us to do this for a living?’ it’s easy to forget what we like about what we’re doing,” Kennedy notes. “Whereas on the whole it’s a really great story about people getting along really well and continuing to want to make music together.”

For more updates, a sampling of Power This! or to purchase an album, log onto www.jellybricks.com.