Holopaw veteran Michael Johnson's second solo turn as Ape School is the kind of release that is easy to admire but is still just a little hard to love, despite everything that goes into it.

"A New Low! It Sucks Itself!" promises the initial song via its title, and one has to wonder a little bit about ambition.

While Junior Violence regularly aims for the heights rather than being apologetic about its goals, Johnson, drummer Eric Slick, and a slew of guests sometimes create a headscratcher.

The queasily pleasant power pop-via-21st-century-indie result which comes out is a classic mix of all kinds of elements that are sweet enough but never quite seem to gel, catchy but -- especially in terms of their production and arrangements -- overfamiliar after the lingering impact of any number of bands like Arcade Fire, the Flaming Lips, Spoon, and more.

As a result, Junior Violence feels like so many releases of its time, accomplished enough but at heart basic and near formulaic, where the arrangements and moments of randomness seem all too carefully planned out rather than showcasing any real sense of surprise.

There are stomping drums, barely any space for air, guitars and keyboards on top of guitars and keyboards -- a miniature monumentalism that is still pleasant and hummable but terribly wearying nonetheless.

When things finally calm down a touch halfway through with "Beneficiary (Don't Blame Me)," it's a pleasant enough diversion, but even the gently sweeping synths and the slow progression of the song can't fully hide what's at work.

There can be moments when things suddenly spark up -- the call and response on "Carry On," between Johnson's main singing and a gently distorted backing track, shifts into a suddenly beautiful further tradeoff between two other voices to make for a magnificent break.

Meanwhile "Marijuana's On the Phone" feels like something from mid-'90s Mercury Rev when there was still a sense of decades-old random whimsy at play.