KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * * *
Verdict: Whimsical debut from eccentric hippy
Pop Levi is wired for sound. Look at him on the album cover, all wild-eyed and ready to shake that bowl cut and clap his hands like he just doesn't care. That's what you'll be doing much of the way through this off-the-wall debut from the multi-instrumentalist.
There's the Beach Boys-meets-Black Sabbath of the lurching and catchy Blue Honey and the Bolan-Bowie rocker, Mournin' Light. Then, in-between there's sweet and sometimes bitter tracks like Flirting.
At times his whiney voice can get tiresome (especially on Pick-Me-Up Uppercut) and his phrasing can be a little too cutesey. Plus, it would help if the songs were short, sharp pop gems because some linger and plod to a stop rather than staying memorable. For example, Sugar Assault Me Now would be killer if it was shorter and album highlight, (A Style Called) Crying Chic, could have been a song of the year contender if it wasn't so self-indulgent. However, Pop Levi has produced an album of clever and innovative pop.
