Scroll down for capsule reviews of the latest from The Idea, Chan Polling, Seafood, Pernice Brothers, The Dent, Brad Harvey, The Reputation, X-Rated Cowboys, Starlet, the Do Ya tribute, The Pearlfishers and The Windbreakers.

Shane MacGowan's Popes – Across The Broad Atlantic (Eagle/Red Ink): The Pogues may not have been the first band to combine traditional Irish music and rock, but no one has ever done it better than they did. The Pogues spent the latter half of their career trying to wiggle out of the confines of their reputation, not sure whether to dump the trad stuff or embrace it. Since leaving the band, MacGowan definitely has stuck with what works. While his health is a constant concern, and his vocals sometimes barely get above the mumble stage, he has a great band and who better to sing drunken ballads than Shane? This disc culls the best performances from Paddy's Day performances in New York City and Dublin. It is a great snapshot of MacGowan's work and the band rises to the celebratory occasion. Shane's slurring works best on slower Pogues classics like "Dirty Old Town", with other highlights coming from "Rainy Night in Soho" and "Rock and Roll Paddy". On faster numbers, he sometimes gets a bit lost. Something that needs to be captured, but I hope there's no corresponding DVD. Two thoughts: 1) Shane should do a cover of Diana Ross' "Love Hangover", and, 2) Shane should get a role on the second season of The Osbournes as Ozzy's wacky next door neighbor – if you think Ozzy's hard to understand, he's Don Pardo compared to Shane. shanemacgowan.com

Phil Angotti & The Idea – G. Elvis Is Still Alive (Jam): If you are an Anglophile who lives for ‘60s British pop, and you haven't met Phil Angotti, this EP is a fine introduction. For more than a decade, Angotti has made scads of fine pop in the classic tradition – he was a Chicago contemporary of Material Issue's Jim Ellison, and shares with the late great Ellison the ability to make the old sounds sound timeless, rather than simply retro. Angotti is not the rocker that Ellison was – his sounds are much more of the sunny spring afternoon variety. Still, as the title cut (which refers to Graham Elvis of The Elvis Brothers) shows, he can rock. But when you can make melt-in-your-ears sweet tunes like "It's an Autumn Thing", who cares. There are three enjoyable covers, "Eleanor Rigby", The Zombies' "Let Me Be" and a live take on The Left Banke's immortal "Walk Away Renee". Special kudos to "Down the Drain Dream", where the sparkling production of the spare tune makes you almost believe that Phil is somewhere in your house singing to you – it's that intimate. philangotti.com

Chan Polling – Calling All Stars (Manifesto): When he was the lead singer for The Suburbs, Chan Polling was inscrutable – slightly funky, slightly menacing, slightly smart ass, with a cool affect that made it difficult to get a read on him. This made him all the more compelling. More than a decade after the last Suburbs studio effort, Polling shifts from oddball dance-rock to an edgy lounge lizard sound that owes as much to Tom Waits as it does to Bryan Ferry. Vocally, he strives for Ferry, but his smoky voice comes across more like Peter Murphy or a smoldering David Bowie. Some of Polling's eccentric lyrical sensibility cuts through the Euro-noir shadows (see "I Don't Want to Kill Anymore") and the romantic vibe blends with the tense spy movie edge that Portishead captures so well. On the swankier tunes that dominate the first half of the disc, the Ferryesque cool is subsumed by Polling's more unsettling lyrics – he may have the loverman facade, but doubts and sinister plans are seething underneath. On the second half of the disc, Polling investigates some variations on the stylistic template set forth on the first half dozen tunes, which keeps the album from getting samey, a real danger when doing this laid back stuff. "I Know" is mid-tempo disco pulser (probably the closest, in some ways, to The Suburbs), "Dig the World Spot" sounds like a more upbeat Chocolate Genius, and the tender "Frankenstein" is just beautiful brilliance. Don't wait so long for the next disc, Mr. Polling. manifesto.com

Seafood – When Do We Start Fighting... (Nettwerk): Picking up where Idlewild left off in an effort to retain a shred of credibility for the post-Nirvana brand of guitar fueled alt-rock, Seafood is not as hooky and poppy as the ‘wild, but shares the same wit and intelligence and the ability to kick ass with enough melodic acuity to be catchy and avoid hamhandedness. Fans of bands like Foil and The Catherine Wheel should find merit in this disc. A few songs just howl – particularly "Cloaking", an anguished cry which finds a midpoint between classic Radiohead and Pixies. There are also a few swell anthems – the openers, "Splinter" and "Western Battle" deserve to rock stadiums, as ringing lead guitars propel a thick, urgent rock attack. Of course, the band must explore our friend dynamics, taking the soft verses into hard chorus route on the pretty and suddenly violent "Similar Assassins" – the louder chorus leavened by a lovely melody. Yep, the velvet glove/iron fist approach still works when you can write good songs. Seafood.uk.com

Pernice Brothers – Australia 2002 (Altamont/Spunk!): Limited edition EP issued in conjunction with the band's Oz tour, this disc is comprised of five re-recorded tunes, recorded in a quartet format. Two songs from the debut and three from album #2, this isn't exactly unplugged, and Thom Monahan does pull some production tricks (like the reverb on the end of "Dimmest Star"), but it seems the basic modus operandi is to record this in a live in the studio format. So "All I Know" has just a bit more urgency, as Monahan doesn't fuss as much on the mix, and Joe Pernice's voice is a bit more in the middle of the mix, amongst the strumming acoustic and electric guitar fills. "Flaming Wreck" lopes with a bit of a country strum – Lindsay Buckingham would have given up his late-70's afro to add this to Tusk. None of these versions drastically alters the basic song, but with a band that manages to sound so big while focusing on every little detail, every new nuance is a chance to experience familiar bliss in a new manner. Highly recommended for Pernice freaks, and also recommended for fans of great lyrics, superb vocals, perfectly crafted tunes, and pop music in general. pernicebrothers.com

The Dent – Neurotica (Thursday Morning): Mellow pop EP which does the little things that give it distinctiveness. Vocalist Matthew Linker has the right voice for this somewhat Anglophilic tuneage, which relies on melancholy melodies with subtle sublime chord changes and tasteful lead guitar fills from Jeffrey Norberg. "Several Sides of Sadness" is a highlight, a lament that takes you on a musical journey. The song has distinctive movements while adhering to a central musical concept. The melody in the chorus I envision The Hollies tackling, though the performance is more in line with contemporaries like The Verve Pipe and Ocean Blue. The title cut comes as a surprise, as it mixes contemporary punk-pop rhythm with a chorus that is truer to their Britpoppy balladry. The closer "Weightless" comes out of the Astrid/Housemartins school, with a slight whiff of R & B chords, building up to a final powerful chorus. Though the band's subtly is laudable, they need to intensify the performances just a bit, whether it's through a bit more rocked up playing or more embellishments. dentmusic.com

Brad Harvey – Me First (Billionbrads): Debut from Big Takeover contributor should not be a surprise folks familiar with Harvey's writing, as the virtues he extols in his reviews are on display in his music. Harvey is blessed with a power pop ready voice, and his songs are contemporary, but show that he has studied the classics well – reference points from The Zombies to Cheap Trick to Material Issue are in evidence. Strong cuts include "Following You", which has a guitar part that conjures up Jeff Lynne's tenure with The Move, the basic rock and roll of "Wonder Girl", the urgent "You Won't Have Time" which fits in with The Plimsouls and the Holsapple-led dB's and the Kink-y "Hurry". Harvey does the one man band thing, and generally acquits himself well, though on a couple tracks, where precise fills and some extra oomph is needed, he doesn't quite get there. But the songs are there and the performance is mostly there. A swell start. billionbrads.com

The Reputation – The Reputation (Initial): Elizabeth Elmore used to lead Sarge back in the mid-90's, so it's interesting that her new band's debut has a sound that wouldn't have sounded out of place on college radio in, oh, about 1993 or ‘94. This would slot in somewhere between Belly and Jen Trynin, as the music has enough guitar power to qualify as rock, but still emphasizes melodic structure. And Elmore is a compelling vocalist – decidedly feminine but not conceding an ounce of strength, she's a modern woman who's very comfortable in her own skin. However, she's not very comfortable with relationships – many of the songs are articulately acid breakdowns of breakdowns. In fact, at times you might squirm, as Elmore's anger storms out of the speakers and smacks you down. The band is terrific too – the playing on here is superb. However, the effect of one mid-tempo lyric driven tune after the other results in a disc that gets bogged down by about cut six or so. The Reputation definitely needs some variety. The songs have such basic melodies and rarely catch fire, though the playing, as stated above, is crisp. Either be more hummable or rock out a bit more, and be willing to vary the formula a bit. Elmore is smart and talented and is capable of really great things – there is certainly enough here to hope for a second disc (though will she delay that to finish law school?). parasol.com

X-Rated Cowboys – Honor Among Thieves (FFN): The name implies that this is a fire breathing rock band that should be sharing the stage with Gaza Strippers or The Hellacopters. However, these cowboys may be salacious, but in a mellow mode, playing material that conjures up memories of ‘70s country and pub rock. The music is relaxed and the lyrics are mildly clever. Take "Goth Girl", with its near zydeco melody. This sounds like a fine lost John Hiatt composition. Other acoustic numbers in the vein of Foster & Lloyd and Robert Ellis Orral are quite ingratiating, such as "Light of Day". The album could use more playful rockers like "The Cowboy Song" (complete with triumphant horns), a Johnny Cash type number, though the Man In Black never sang lyrics like: "I'm a cowboy/ain't no doubt about that/'cause when I watch pornographic movies/I always wear my cowboy hat." Another effective rocker is "End of the World", which is good showcase for Andy Harrison (lead guitar) and Bob Hite (keyboards) to really let things rip. The instrumental breakdown in the middle is inspired. Speaking of inspired, the epic "She's Got a Gun" is a fine closer, with the underpinnings of an Irish folk ballad, and frontman Quinn Fallon is equal to the task. While Fallon's lighter songs are fun, he would be well advised to continue to expand his ambition, as he pulls this challenging song off well. xratedcowboys.com

Starlet – When Sun Falls On My Feet (Parasol): Moody music, coming from a melodic place not too far removed from the well that Trembling Blue Stars, New Order and The Go-Betweens tap from. While this Swedish band isn't as expertly poetic as The Go-Betweens, they manage to convey beauty and sadness, sometimes in a single song. Starlet has their own wrinkles – the title cut is a nifty encapsulation of the ambivalence of a failed relationship – you know it's time, but wish it wouldn't end – the song begins with a lightly played lead guitar part that reminds of Del Shannon's "Runaway" before hitting its strumming rhythm. The chorus rouses with bittersweet pain, accompanied by a trumpet, the International Instrument of Broken Hearts, and Henrik Martensson asks "have you ever read The Snake/have you ever sung along/to the lines of "Hand in Glove"/as if they were your own?" Even at their quietest, Starlet is passionate – and when the whisper builds to a near scream, as on "Sunshine" (which fades too soon), it snags you in their delicate web. What is really interesting is that while much of the music is downbeat, the songs often point to the sun that will burst through the cloud cover – the portrayal of hopelessness and hopefulness gives this music a unique emotional pull. More than meets the ear on this gripping third effort. parasol.com

Various Artists – Do Ya? (Tallboy): A tribute album takes some courage, but to tackle one of the great proto-power pop songs of all time? Kudos to the label and Kenny Howes & The Yeah, Parallax Project, Einstein's Sister and Linus Of Hollywood for having the balls to even tackle this project. In baseball parlance, this mini-comp yields a grand slam, a homer, and two doubles to the alley. Howes, who is a rocker through and through, is the logical candidate to tackle a straight version of the tune, and he does well, though one almost wishes that he had waxed a live version, where the crowd energy would raise the roof. Keeping with Mike Giblin's skinny tie sound, Parallax Project posits how the song may have sounded if Jeff Lynne led a New Wave quartet. Both of these are nice, but the mellower takes on the song are the gems. Einstein's Sister casts the song as something in the nature of The Rascals or The Youngbloods, which doesn't require rearrangement so much as reconceptualizing the instrumental attack. Dang good. But Linus takes the gold medal here, the soft-popper in his maximum Gilbert O'Sullivan mode. I've had mixed emotions about his radical covers (Ozzy – yes; Smoking Popes – no), but this might be the best he's ever done – it's so wrong that it's perfect. A fun spin on clear vinyl. tallboyrecords.com

The Pearlfishers – The Strange Underworld Of The Tall Poppies (Marina): Reissue of 1997 debut by David Scott-led band, back when he was joined full-time by occasional co-writer Brian McAlpine. For someone who is still a Pearlfishers neophyte, like myself, this album displays the same Brian Wilson-meets-Burt Bacharach magic that typifies other Pearlfishers work. The most striking feature of the disc is simply how fully realized the ‘fishers sound was from the get-go. There is nothing tentative here – just two guys making brilliant pop music with heart. The Rickenbacker jangle that takes you into "Banana Sandwich" opens up into a song that sounds like a pretty combo of Squeeze and Beach Boys – a pub right off the ocean, I guess. "In the Darkest Hour" actually has a light R & B feel that is reminiscent of some of the mid-‘80s work of Roddy Frame – white soul at its best. The best track is "Jelly Shoes" which has an attractive surface but don't let the sweetness fool you – Scott has some issues with the girl he's singing about. Not often do you hear such anger in a soft pop song, and the ambiguity gives this a tang that is compelling. This is a great melding of Britpop craft with a love for the prettier side of ‘60s American pop. More importantly, a lot of feeling is invested in these songs, so they aren't just exercises in style, they touch the heart. parasol.com

The Windbreakers – Boxing Day (Paisley Pop): A low-fi capture of a 1986 gig (with some 1988 recordings from a Tim Lee tour with Sutliff in the band) from the Mississippi band led by Tim Lee and Bobby Sutliff. The shorthand description of the band must always include the term "jangle", which fails to capture what the ‘breakers were about. Covers of The Flamin' Groovies, Velvet Underground, Television, The Byrds and Alex Chilton begin painting the picture – The Windbreakers could reel off the smooth folk-pop hook, but at their heart they were a classic guitar rock band (with, obviously, good taste). In fact, of all the bands listed above, this live performance really evokes Television, as the guitar interplay between Sutliff and Lee is super and some of the guitar solos make you remember why solos were special in the first place. This show also spotlighted the band's worthy original material, like the classic dramatic strum of Lee's "Changeless", "I Never Thought" with one of Sutliff's patented floating melodies and "You Never Give Up", an intense piece of paisley rock. Whatever deficits there may be in recording quality are made up for by the good tunes. Limited edition of 250. paisleypop.com

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