DOWNLOAD and SEE: Drink Up Buttercup

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 26, 2010 4:20PM

Photo by lippe

Drink Up Buttercup's debut Born And Thrown On A Hook throws all of the band's copious influences into a murky psychedelic pop stew. They are just as liable to snag a faux-operatic tenor as they are to bang on a harpsichord or wail like so many mod kids hooped up on pep pills.

On "Young Ladies," they mix Beach Boys harmonies with drum breaks driven by accelerated stumbles and a sing-song chorus that's both malevolent and cheery. They have what seem to be an unending number of hooks up their paisley sleeves but they're unwilling to allow them to roll out in any obvious fashion. Usually when a band throws all sorts of curve balls in the path of super-catchy melodies we suspect they're embarrassed by the songs' accessibility, but in the case of Drink Up Buttercup these willful barriers help accentuate just how unrelenting the songs are on their journey to burrow in and make your head their home.

And this, make no mistake is music meant for the brain to transmit to the limbs while bypassing any true emotional response. The composers are literate and execute their craft well, and what they sacrifice in not trying to reach your heart is expertly made up for in the twisting paths you wander down as each song grows from start to finish like twisting ivy up unending brick.

MP3: Drink Up Buttercup "Young Ladies"

Drink Up Buttercup plays Sunday, February 28, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W Belmont, 8:30 p.m., $8, 21+