Darlings

If you can drag yourself away from the handsome-looking pamphlet that acts as the CD case you'll be pleasantly surprised by what this NYC four-piece offer musically. There's undeniable coolness to Darlings that no doubt has a lot to do with their geography. Deep within the songs you can detect the city's influence the same way you can with the Strokes and the Pains of Being Pure At Heart. And their songs are just as memorable. The lo-fi production accentuates the band's garage band status but instead of obsessing over the '60s or '70s like most, Darlings have their ears tuned to the '90s. The title track smacks of Urusei Yatsura's sloppy pop, while "Teenage Girl" has the playful naïveté that made Beat Happening so adorable. And "Eviction Party" not only sounds like the best party ever but also delivers a verse from the perspective of a crowd surfer who's been glassed by a broken bottle. Okay, that doesn't sound so fun but Yeah I Know has plenty of whimsy in these bubbly garage pop jams.