By the opening lyrics of All Hail Discordia ("In spite of everything, I believe in everyone") and the jangly guitars, one might not guess this is a release from 1997.

By Divine Right's philosophy is very '70s -- I'm OK, You're OK -- and they are unabashedly gleeful about it, which is downright mindblowing in the midst of all the wallowing self-pity that clogged much of the music in the mid- to late '90s.

By Divine Right are behind the times in many ways -- they're sincere, noncynical, honest, funny, unassuming, well-adjusted -- and their sound is as happy and carefree as their lyrics, with crunchier guitar riffs than your typical power pop.

All of this, of course, makes them revolutionary -- or, at least, bright standouts in the late '90s modern rock scene.