By Jerk-bot

KIRBY KRACKLE; “Super Powered Love” (Kirby Krackle Music)
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE? Kyle Stevens and Jim Demonakos (words and music)

The third time, as they say, is the charm. But for Kirby Krackle … the nerd-rock project for Seattle-based musician Kyle Stevens and comics shop owner/conventioneer Jim Demonakos … the third go-round offers proof that KK is not just a whimsy.

The duo’s third, full-length album is titled “Super Powered Love.” It’s the best of the bunch by far, both in terms of songwriting and performance. Stevens, who sings and plays guitar (as well as occasional ukulele) is backed by an actual band: bass guitarist Scott Andrew, keyboardist Bryce Francis and drummer Nelson Estes. (Rappers Adam WarRock and GMK the Great, as well as vocalist Kristina Horner, also chip in on a couple of songs.)

While the initial efforts (a self-titled 2009 release, and 2010’s “E for Everyone”) suffered a bit from their thin sound, “Super Powered Love” has a fuller, richer one. You can really hear how well this approach works with the rousing album closer, the pop-punkish “I Wanna Live in a World Full of Heroes.” A solid rhythm section only makes Stevens’ Ramones-like riffing sound more muscular. A quick plea to radio programmers: Give this winning song some well-deserved airplay.

Elsewhere, there’s expected Kirby Krackle silliness. “Booty do Math” fuses pop with hip-hop, “Hunt ‘em All Down” and “Bite of Another” freshen up overdone subject matter (the Transformers and vampires, respectively), and the title track crackles … excuse the pun … with electricity.

There are still a couple of stripped-down moments, too, though. Stevens busts out that aforementioned ukulele on “In Another Castle,” an earnest love song/plea that again touches on one of the pair’s favorite subjects, Nintendo’s best-selling series of Mario video games.

This is easily the most complete collection of songs. There are no duds here. And again, “World of Heroes” rivals any pop-punk being churned out by major-label act for sheer hooks and catchiness.

As has been done in the past, “Super Powered Love” is self-released. It’s available digitally (through iTunes and other sites, check www.kirbykracklemusic.com for more information), and in “hard-copy” form for old-schoolers like yours truly. (CD and booklet art by comics artists Jim Mahfood and Katie Cook make this purchase pretty irresistible.) KK also previewed several of the tracks on YouTube, so if you are not convinced yet, you should at least give these ones a listen. You’ll be hooked!

Another nice thing about “Super Powered Love”: The duo has had a semi-annoying habit of placing “secret tracks,” which appear after the album seems to end. (“Tony Stark” wound up being one of the best songs on their eponymous debut, if you listened long enough to find it.) Refreshingly, that’s not the case here. The bakers’ dozen tracks are it. And that’s more than enough.

Jerk-Bot is the robotic nom de plume of Utah-based movie reviewer and writer Jeff Michael Vice, who invites you to enjoy his other endeavors, for Xfinity’s Big Movie Mouth-Off review program, MSN’s Parallel Universe and MSN Movies, IN This Week magazine, X-96′s Radio From Hell, Geek Show Podcast and the Mediocre Show.