Car Button Cloth
Despite his rise from indie punk-popster to high-profile alt-pop heartthrob, Lemonheads leader Evan Dando is still capable of making charmingly goofy, memorably melodic records, and this is one of them.  Though it's a bit light on obvious hookfests,Car Button Clothmaintains a low-key, whispery bittersweetness that's both likable and poignant. And there's a touchingly loopy honesty in the self-effacing resoluteness of such tunes as "The Outdoor Type," "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You," and "C'mon Daddy." This charming, deceptively modest effort is a helpful reminder that, as much as Dando tries to hide it, there's a substantial if unfocused talent lurking beneath his flaky exterior.--Scott Schinder