Little Music
Dressy Bessy’s sticky-sweet lo-fi charm makes a singles collection likeLittle Musican appealing, if somewhat redundant, prospect. After all, Bessy albums such as 2002’sSound Go Roundare already stuffed with would-be singles that bristle with the band’s girlish exuberance. Featuring bubblegum grunge like "Ultra Vivid Color,"Little Musicplays like a batch of warpedHerman's Hermitsdemos performed by a female-frontedRamonestribute band. It’s all wrapped up in a familiar layer of ironic hipster-ism, but lead singer/guitarist Tammy Ealom's respect for the material comes through in the sexy, personal lyrics of songs like "Lipstick." Breezy and adorable,Little Music's retro simplicity has the effortless lure of a pastel-colored field of tulips gently listing in the breeze. –Matt! hew Cooke