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Choice Cuts: December 2002

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Artist: Bikeride

Album: Morning Macumba

The Scoop: Fans of the Elephant 6 bands should smoke their soles running down to the record store to pick up this release from Tony Carbone and company. Bikeride takes the successful formula laid out by energetic, college-friendly bands like Apples in Stereo and puts it in a blender with a few tablespoons of Brazilian bossa nova and the band's own Southern California sunshine, weaving in some Beach Boys and Bacharach. Mr. Moog, of course, is a heavy presence (sometimes overstaying his welcome). But songs like "Fakin' Amnesia" will be sure to get the party going the partygoers moving (and likely asking, "Hey, who's this?"). The Brazilian seasonings-courtesy of a trip there in between recordings-are welcome additions. And, finally, the band throws in some hidden tracks, the last of which (track #31) is a fun little closing ditty. Morning Macumba will have you looking forward to that first day of winter thaw. Of course, if you're like Bikeride and live in Long Beach, you can throw the album on in your convertible today and drive off to the beach with your volleyball and cooler.

Highlight Tracks: "Whispering Winds" and "Fakin' Amnesia"

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Artist: Death Cab for Cutie

Album: You Can Play These Songs With Chords

The Scoop: If one was to immerse themselves-from scratch-into the world of indie music, it would be necessary to include DCfC in the course material. This album would definitely not be the jumping-off point, as it is a re-release of the sacred cassette the "band" released back when the "band" was merely Ben Gibbard and Chris Walla. Five of these songs ended up (after a re-recording) on Something About Airplanes, so the real selling point for Death Cab fans is the inclusion of 10 unreleased early tracks. They show the band going through some awkward phases, certainly, and as an album it doesn't begin to stand up to, say, The Photo Album. But it's something of a triumph in itself that DCfC has gotten to the point in their career where an album like this is a good idea. The last album has sold over 50,000; sure, a day's work for the Dixie Chicks, but an impressive number for an unassuming, come-from-nowhere indie act. And their fans definitely will savor this chance to chart the band's evolution while waiting for the next proper LP. In the meantime, there are some "skippables" on this one, even though it's clear that Gibbard had lyrical prowess from the get-go. They weren't brilliant, but they had the potential to be. Unlike so many others, these guys actually followed through.

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