Pipas

Mark Powell and Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez are Pipas. The U.K. duo plays simple indie pop tunes, sweetly sung by Fernandez in an unaffected and charmingly amateur style. The music consists of drum-machine rhythms, gently strummed acoustic guitars, and lots of synthesizer coloring. The lyrical content is cute and mostly innocuous, except for the song about killing Bob Dylan. The songs that stick in the mind most are the up-tempo numbers like "Rock and/or Roll," which does neither, instead bouncing along happily, bolstered by some great electric piano and chiming synths; "Emblematic," which features Powell on vocals, a nifty marimba part, and some electronic gimmickry; and "The Conversation," which features the loudest guitars to be found on the record. There are bands who do this kind of thing better (Call & Response, Club 8), but Pipas' The Cat Escaped is a nice addition to any collection that needs more happy, chirpy indie pop. ~Tim Sendra, All Music Guide