The band's name is Princeton. [Insert joke here.]

It seems the inevitable will finally be achieved this Thursday at Terrace Club, with a band called - wait for it - Princeton! The indie pop group, ironically based out of Los Angeles, will be showing off its first album, "Cocoon of Love." Heading the band are twins Jesse and Matt Kivel, who, in another twist, are Columbia graduates. So why the name? Well, the band members claim they grew up on a street called Princeton. But we all know they picked the name so they could be hired to play a gimmicky gig at a college in New Jersey.

Released last week, Princeton's debut album is cohesive, pleasant and accessible. It is still far from perfect, however, as cloying and hackneyed tunes threaten to overwhelm it. Fortunately, the blending of strings, horns and silvery bells add much-needed depth and flourish to what might otherwise be lazy Beach Boys rehashes. Occasional ventures into ambiance and electronics also enhance the band's sound. The use of diverse musical instruments does not clash, but rather makes each song more interesting. "Stunner Shades in Heaven," a slower and more reflective track, does particularly well in this respect.

It's lucky the music has a bit of depth to it, because the lyrics are pretty simplistic, holding steadfastly to cookie-cutter romantic and childhood themes - new love, old love, reassuring love, nostalgic love, it's all here. Limited inspirations aside, the band is at its best with "Calypso Gold" and "Martina and Clive Krantz," two melodious and upbeat songs which are more than simply cheerful.

Unfortunately, Princeton has one gaping flaw: The band is stupefyingly unoriginal. The album sounds as if someone took a handful of Mrs. Dash seasoning and threw it on Vampire Weekend. Songs like "Korean War Memorial" are especially guilty of this, leaving the listener grappling with questions like "What does this remind me of?" and "Where have I heard that progression before?"

Even worse, the vocals are not particularly powerful, interesting or even memorable. "Cocoon of Love" is overflowing with that softish, heard-it-a-thousand-times-before indie pop sound, with cliched singing over frustratingly inoffensive music. It's true that Princeton's lack of risk-taking makes its album more accessible, but it's difficult to maintain interest in the record after more than a few listens. I can personally attest to this: When I had the swine flu and nothing better to do for five days, "Cocoon of Love" did not make for a particularly good self-isolation soundtrack - despite its promising name.

The verdict? Princeton's debut album is sweet, but it may not be quite sophisticated or creative enough to grow on you. If anything, it's the kind of album that gets worse with repeated listens. Nevertheless, with pop tunes as sugary and catchy as this, the forecast for Thursday night looks good. Princeton may not blow you away, but that doesn't mean they won't put on an enjoyable show. And failing that, at least the name will be a talking point for weeks to come.

Pros: Diverse instrumentation, catchy melodies, good name.

Cons: Derivative indie pop sound