Scroll down for capsule reviews of They Might Be Giants, Pernice Brothers, Percy Hussalonia, Ian McGlynn, AK-MOMO, The Wedding Present, Steve Barton, Snow Globe, Frank Lee Sprague, Bettie Serveert and LCD Soundsystem

They Might Be Giants -- Here Comes the ABCs (Disney Sounds): They Might Be Giants have made a natural transition into children's music, due in large part to the fact that they don't really have to change their musical approach in order to make music that will appeal to youngsters. If anything, TMBG's children's music actually brings them back to their sillier side, as their regular albums have become relatively more conventional over the last 10 years or so. This album will not only help kids learn the alphabet, but they'll get a subtle musical education, as John Linell and John Flansburgh hit a bunch of styles. You have the mild jazz of "Alphabet of Nations" (hey, a geography lesson, too!) and "Flying V" (Holy Ramsey Lewis, Batman!), the funk-rock of "E Eats Everything" (Flansburgh really underplays this track, and it works very well), kiddie psych on "Pictures of Pandas Painting" (don't eat the brown Lik-A-Made, tykes...), and country on "I C U". While some of this is bit cutesy, even by TMBG standards, the best songs here sound better than a lot of the stuff that band has put on recent albums. The garage poppy "Who Put the Alphabet in Alphabetical Order?"(with Robin Goldwasser doing the lead vocal) has a nice riff, a smart lyric and a clever bit where it encourages kids to do the work themselves. On "The Vowel Family", the band incorporates disembodied voices that sound ready to break into Barnes & Barnes' "Fish Heads" at any moment. While I can't say that this a record that a They Might Be Giants fan will throw on time and time again, it certainly will liven up a random iPod playlist. Moreover, this very likely will turn out to be the most successful concept album of the year. DisneySound.com

Pernice Brothers -- Nobody's Watching (Ashmont): This is a warts-and-all live collection chronicling the most recent touring edition of The Pernice Brothers. When keyboardist Laura Stein stepped away from touring, she was replaced by keyboardist/guitarist James Walbourne, and the effect was a louder Pernice Brothers. When I saw them in Chicago with the new lineup, I was a bit disappointed, as I thought that they had messed with a characteristic spacious sound, and this sometimes came at the expense of Joe Pernice's vocals. He's not a very powerful singer, and having to compete with more noise caused strain on some songs. And sometimes, things just sounded constrained, best illustrated by the awkward rendition here of "Our Time Has Passed". My notions have been confirmed by this disc, making it a mixed bag. To the band's credit, it sounds like not a whole lot of tweaking was done to the sound. So this disc has its moments. In particular, the sharp "Flaming Wreck", which burns even harder in this live rendition. "Crestfallen" also sounds quite good, as does the Scud Mountain Boys holdover "Grudge F***", which is given appropriately spare backing, with Peyton Pinkerton's guitar work great as always. However, "Clear Spot" is played too fast, "Working Girls" sounds a little flat, and the cover of The Pretenders' "Talk of the Town" is alright, but Pernice's vocals are a weak link on this rendition. There is a bonus DVD – the tour diary is worth a look, but the music videos for "Baby in Two" and "Weaker Shade of Blue" are emblematic of the decline of the medium. ashmontrecords.com

Percy "thrills" Hussalonia – Hussalonia (self-released): Nice modern psych-pop from a guy who knows his way around a studio. Fans of XTC, the mellower side of Guided By Voices, and Elephant 6 stuff may want to check this out. On "Missing Persons", this sounds like Tyrannosaurus Rex or Doleful Lions playing a lost Paul McCartney track. In fact, let me add that there is evidence of a nice foundation in great ‘60s pop like The Beatles and The Bee Gees on quite a few songs. Percy ventures into straight ballad territory on "Please Don't Go With Him", a terrific pop song that only sounds indie by virtue of its creative low budget production – a great use of a drum machine and sonic space makes this song sound great. Percy ventures into social commentary with the whimsy folk pop "They Took Away the Radio". A couple songs are non-starters, but most of the tracks on this 15 song, 32:21 disc are pretty good. Don't confuse with Percy "Thrills" Thrillington. hussalonia.com

Ian McGlynn – Tomorrow's Taken (Bailey Park): Moody melodic pop music from an artist who knows his way around a studio, ably aided by producer Shane Tutmarc from the band Dolour. McGlynn's melancholy tuneage shows a strong ‘70s pop influence and can be compared favorably to Kevin Tihista. Both McGlynn and Tihista have listened to a lot of Harry Nilsson, I'd guess. I also hear a little bit of Gilbert O'Sullivan in some of the songs here. However, McGlynn's music is more serious than either of those artists. Indeed, there is also a kinship with artists like Elliot Smith. So this record is steeped in tradition, but it is also very immediate and modern. This is aided by going beyond pure pop production and using a variety of keyboards, synthesizers and other instruments to provide specific textures. McGlynn sets the tone on the opener "Morning Prayer", with its drawn out sad melody in the verses, a jazz-based bridge and swaths of synthesizers, distant pianos and chimes wafting in like enveloping clouds. While I'd like to see McGlynn develop a bit more emotional range, he excels at music to softly sob to or, in the alternative, drown your sorrows with the alcoholic beverage of choice. One thing I don't want to change is the copious attention McGlynn gives to arrangements. Almost every song finds McGlynn adding things as the song goes on, not to show off, but to add to the power of the track. So songs that would be good with just McGlynn and his keyboards are made even better. Amongst all the bittersweet gems, there is some pure sweetness, as "No Time" has a bouncy ‘60s soft pop feel that's not quite Brian Wilson, not quite Burt Bacharch, but quite good. This is McGlynn's third release, and it is excellent. Buy this, live with it, and if you like it as much as I do, work your way back to the first one. baileyparkrecords.com

AK-MOMO – Return To N.Y. (Hidden Agenda): Singer Ak von Malmborg and keyboard/electronics freak Mattias Olsson worked together on Olsson's fine Nanook of the North album. On this album, Malmborg shows off her supple voice, which sounds a lot like Kate Bush if she decided to sing jazz, backed only by odd electronic instruments -- the mellotron, orchestron, and everyone's favorite Mattel instrument, the Optigan. The choice of instruments lends an otherworldly feel to what would otherwise be solid torchy synth pop songs. Anyone who has heard the band Optiganally Yours knows that the Optigan can create some haunting sounds (does anyone know if this positively or negatively impacted on the children who played with them?). The title cut has a percussion track that sounds like it was sample off of a worn cassette copy of a ‘50s beatnik jazz record, while the mellotron provides sci-fi wind instrument replication. Malmborg, as she does throughout the disc, impressively carves out the melody which gets subtle instrumental support. The duo uses one aspect of the Optigan to its advantage. Since the sounds are basically looped, they turn the inherent repetition into an asset. For example, the chorus of "Only the Stars" has two hooks, one sung by Malmborg and the other in a nifty repeating Optigan track. This is exploited even more fully on "Time for the Muse", which is a full exploration of how to use these artificial instruments to the maximum. This is an excellent composition that has three distinct melodies and might be challenging for a real band. The sounds that they coax out of their arsenal are truly impressive. This is a cool song that sounds even cooler by how they performed it. Of course, that's such an overlooked part of the musician's job -- finding a way to translate a song into something compelling. AK-Momo made some unusual choices and fully succeeded in making the songs sound good. parasol.com

The Wedding Present -- Take Fountain (Manifesto): David Gedge's last band, Cinerama, dissolved when his relationship with bandmember Sally Murrell likewise dissolved. Gedge then hooked up with his Weddoe band mate Simon Cleave, and now, The Wedding Present is back. I always thought that the softer sounds of Cinerama were just a logical extension of where Gedge's muse was going anyway, and then saw them live. Live, Cinerama had some of the Wedding Present's rock presence. So, I think Gedge heading back to his original band isn't that strange. Okay, there are no homages to Burt Bacharach or bossa nova here, but this isn't simply the balls out guitar laden Brit indie rock that was the original Wedding Present stock in trade. It is a set of inspired songs that radiate anger and pain, mixing Wedding Present power with some lush accents that are a holdover from Cinerama. The reason that Gedge has endured is that he is a heartbreakingly direct lyricist, and having had his heart broken seems to have made his more brutally honest then ever. The first song is a driving epic. "Interstate 5" is a lacerating look at a relationship based on sex -- yep, ol' Gedge-y thinks a lady treated him like a piece of meat. I'm not making sport of this -- the intensity of Gedge's performance shows 100 percent sincerity. The song ultimately leads to Calexico-like ending that comes as a respite from the bile. A song that more people can relate to (unless an inordinate number of Fufkin.com readers have had to fend off nymphomaniacs) is the post-break up tale "Mars Sparkles Down on Me". This is an excellent take on how hard it can be to maintain your cool when your ex finds a new lover, and you aren't ready to let go. On this languid tune, Gedge captures the pain of thinking about the ex sleeping with another guy in what was once their bed, and how he can't shake the hand that was "all over her skin." Ouch. There's plenty more where that came from, with "Ringway to Seatac" deserving special notice, since it rocks like old school Weddoes. This album isn't a depressing exercise, because there's an underlying sense that these laments are about coping, and also because the music always retains a bit of uplift, most of the time. Heck, if "Queen Anne" is any indication, David may have found someone new. I'm not a Wedding Present completist, so I don't know exactly where this ranks, but it certainly can be mentioned in the same breath with past efforts like Bizarro and Watusi manifesto.com

Steve Barton -- Charm Offensive (Sleepless): This isn't just the second solo album from a former member of Translator, it sounds like a solo album from a former member of Translator. While Barton wasn't solely responsible for the sound of the ‘80s college radio staple, he was a major architect, and he explores similar sounds and styles two decades later. And the intervening years have neither diminished the bite in his music that keeps it from just being pleasant jangle rock nor his facility for crafting strong hooks. That being said, one of my favorite songs on the record is the perfect jangle pop of "Shy", which sounds like a collaboration between The Byrds' Gene Clark and Lennon and McCartney (call it "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better When Your Bird Can Sing"?). It has the same sunny vibe that the Translator classic "Gravity" had, and a nice psychedelic rock coda. These happy sounds are mixed with some flat out rock and roll. Barton hits back-to-back home runs with the frantic "Kiss This", and its relentless guitar line, and a careening rendition of The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home", which is fueled by Dave Scheff's power drumming. Kudos to Barton for his creative arrangement that preserves the essence of the song, and successfully recontextualizes it as a rocker. Mixed in with the pop and the rock are a couple of moodier numbers, such as "Monument", that make for a well rounded album. This disc compares favorably to the best music that Barton has made during his career. sbmusics@aol.com

Snowglobe -- Doing The Distance (Makeshift): This Southern band makes music that is baroque but absent a large dose of the pretension that such a description might imply. On their debut record, the band sounded like cousins to the Elephant 6 movement, with some nods to The Kinks, playing piano based songs augmented by strong horn arrangements. On this follow up, Snowglobe hones their approach, and everything from the recording quality to the playing to the arrangements is just that much better. The only thing that did not improve as significantly is the songwriting, but Tim Regan and Brad Poslethwaite, the primary writers, were already pretty good. I think what's missing on this record is a couple of defining tracks that the other songs can gravitate around. So it took me a bit longer to full succumb to the delights this record has to offer. But I came around. One thing I noticed is that the band seems to have added a bit of heft to their sound -- at times, it made me think of The Band -- that sense that this is music steeped in tradition and history. If they could pen their lyrics in a way that they really stand out (both Regan and Poslethwaite are solid, but not always commanding, singers), they could make a truly great record. Because there are so many ingredients here. They can craft an epic tune that goes beyond basic verse-chorus-verse, without going off the deep end. For example, "Miss June" builds to a driving and inspiring conclusion. Indeed, it's that quality that makes Snowglobe special, as many of their best songs simply sound triumphant, a quality illustrated on two fine consecutive numbers, "Rock Song" and "Big Machine". But the don't have to sound big to be good, as on "Regime", where Regan comes up with a melody that Wilco's Jeff Tweedy would be proud to call his own. While I think their debut is a bit better, the fact that this second album is a quality release makes me hope they have a long career ahead, because this is a band with unlimited potential. makeshiftmusic.com.

Frank Lee Sprague -- Merseybeat (Wichita Falls): I'd actually call this Mellow Merseybeat. The songs here are certainly soaked in 1964 Britain, but played in dialed down fashion that might seems antithetical to the form of rock often first called beat music. However, Sprague's fresh take on retro rock actually accentuates the style's charms by recontextualizing (albeit slightly) a familiar form. As a result, this disc serves as a reminder why The Beatles and their compatriots charmed us so much in the first place. If any song encapsulates why this disc works, it's "Alone With Her Memory". It's a mid-tempo ballad, with a winsome harmonica accompanying its melody, which is likewise winsome. Sprague's vocal is quiet and totally engaged and the laid back performance style really shows off how appealing the melodies of Lennon and McCartney were, even in the early stages of The Beatles' career. Moreover, the relaxed style also gives the songs a sadder, reflective quality, which not only shows up in spades on "Memory" but also on the swell "Can't Stay". Towards the end of the disc, Sprague peps things up a wee bit, and that also sounds pretty good. "Nineteen" is a bit of nick of "I Saw Her Standing There" that simmers effectively, while "Our Love is Real" is a fine bit of Isley Brothers homage that may make you wanna shout. I think it takes some balls to take on a such a classic sound that is so out of date, and it takes a lot of talent to put a personal stamp on it. Sprague certainly has both. frankleesprague.com

Bettie Serveert -- Attagirl (Minty Fresh): A bit of a change of pace effort from this veteran Dutch band. The strumming and jangling guitars get a bit of a break, as Carol van Dyk and her mates experiment with material that leans more on keyboards and is a bit more groove oriented. By groove oriented, I don't mean this is dance music, but the songs often have rhythms that aren't just straight ahead rock fodder. Certainly, Ms. van Dyk shows that she is more than capable of becoming a synth-pop diva -- on "Versace", you get the feeling that she's auditioning for an opening with Saint Etienne, should Sarah Cracknell take a leave of absence. And she sounds like she would merit the job, as the lush and intent tune spotlights van Dyk at her dreamiest. On the title cut, the guitar is the only thing missing. By that, I mean that it has all the earmarks of a quintessential Bettie Serveert song, without a prominent six-string presence. While I might like it better with some guitar magic, it sounds pretty good in its current form. Of the more typical Bettie Serveert fare, the mid-tempo "Hands Off" and the acoustic "You've Changed" show that signature sound still sounds swell. But van Dyk overplays her hand on the cloying "1 Off Deal", which combines banal lyrics with her adopting a drawn out delivery. Generally, the quality of songs drops on the second half of the disc, with not much sticking, although hearing van Dyk sing is always a pleasure. The closing cover of Bright Eyes' "Lover I Don't Have to Love" rescues it a bit. So this is a bit uneven by this band's standards, and for those newbies, this is not the place to start. mintyfresh.com

LCD Soundsystem -- LCD Soundsystem (EMI/DFA): This bargainous two-CD set contains both a disc of this band's early singles, and a brand spanking new album. A lot has been written about LCD Soundsystem, and most of it's correct -- this is smart, witty electronic dance music. The band's first single, 2002's "Losing My Edge" is utter brilliance -- an affectionate send up of ultra-hipsters, set to an extremely basic electro rhythm track. Songs like the infectious "Yeah" and "Beat Connection" and the bashing "Tired" (which sounds like the violent side of The Fatima Mansions) show why this has been an eagerly anticipated album. The new album lives up to the promise, mixing more sparkling dance oriented tunes with some more straight ahead rock. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" is pretty much a sequel to "Losing My Edge", another fun stab at pop pretension. Nearly as wonderful are "Too Much Love" and "Disco Infiltrator". On "Movement", LCD moves into the territory of The Fall (the repetition of the phrase "I'm tapped" may be a tip of the hat to The Fall's collaboration with DJ Coldcut, "Telephone Thing", as that was a hook line of that song). The band is getting some stick for art rock moves from ignorant critics. "Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up" is garnering comparisons to Pink Floyd, which may be due to the vocal style. Quite frankly, this sounds like a good Gomez album track, with mellow blues rock meeting a pleasant melody. On "Great Release", leader James Murphy shows that he has studied Brian Eno intently, as this song definitely captures Eno at his atmospheric pop best. It's a bit too long, but it's a nice album closing send off, and after providing so many good tunes, I'll allow Murphy a bit of self-indulgence. This is not only a great debut, but it shows that LCD Soundsystem ain't no one trick pony. emimusic.info

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