Let's get this out of the way first: The Rembrandts—the pop-rock duo of multi-instrumentalists and songwriters Phil Solem and Danny Wilde—co-wrote the effervescent Friends theme song, "I'll Be There For You." That song, with its inimitable handclaps and jangly guitar riffs, spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, climbed several charts around the world, and continues to find new audiences thanks to Friends reruns.   

However, for Solem and Wilde, that song is just one small chapter in a friendship and creative relationship spanning four decades, two bands, four studio albums, two greatest hits records, a handful of U.S. radio hits, and two U.S. Top 40 singles. Anyone familiar with the Rembrandts only from "I'll Be There For You" should know that the band has a rich catalog brimming with smart, well-wrought pop gems.

"Our m.o. is to only put out things that have a timeless kind of quality to it, that isn’t going to be time-stamped in some era," Solem says. "And, so far, our records have done pretty well with that."

That streak remains unbroken on Via Satellite, the first Rembrandts studio album in 18 years. The meticulous, guitar-driven songs explore every nook and cranny of the pop continuum. "How Far Would You Go" is jangly rock singed lightly with '60s psychedelic atmosphere; "Broken Toy" hews toward dizzying power-pop with hollering vocals awash in emotional grit; and "Come to California" is electrified roadhouse blues-rock burnished by glam-soul detailing. Anchoring these songs are Solem and Wilde's harmonies, which are imploring and tender on the twangy "Count On You"; Beatles-esque on the jaunty "Me And Fate"; and graceful spirals on the chiming midtempo ballad "Now."

"We are individuals, and we do have our own unique sounds, but it's the harmonies, the interweaving of the melodies, that really make the Rembrandts sound," says Wilde.   The band has put together different iterations of Via Satellite across the years, although this particular version "is much more cohesive," Solem says. "We finally got it to our liking." In fact, he's happy the Rembrandts decided to tinker with the album so much. "In waiting, maybe we did the right thing," he says. "Now there’s a sense that there’s more people that care about the kind of music that we had there in the first place. There’s a certain amount of clarity to that record that might make more sense now than it would have if we put it out earlier."   Via Satellite's lyrics are certainly clear-eyed about life's ebbs and flows—including romantic breakdowns, changes of geographical scenery and unexpected emotional fissures—and the leaps of faith people take in order to pursue happiness. As always, words come courtesy of both Solem and Wilde. The former penned the melancholy "Broken Toy" ("Which is definitely about the end of a relationship"), although he says his lyrical contributions tend to be more observational: "Most of the other stuff coming out of me was just how I look at the world." Wilde concurs. "Phil's a quirky guy—he's the guy that comes up with the crazy lyrics and, you know, borderline genius stuff. I'm more the romantic in the band, and I write more relationship stuff. It's just my comfort zone. He helps me with that, and I help him with that, and then we come up with a Rembrandts song."