In an overzealous moment, we’ve all made the mistake. You twist the cap off a new bottle of soda (or pop the cork off some bubbly), and you pour yourself a glass too quickly. The liquid isn’t the problem–it’s those tickling bubbles who climb their way upwards and ultimately cascade over all the edges. Long Island, New York act Twin Sister‘s “Bad Street” is just as effervescent a moment, providing all the enjoyment with no sticky cleanup.

A refreshing bit of pop (in the best sense of the term), “Bad Street” comes off as an after-hours counterpart to Midnite Vultures, with that album’s frenetic energy replaced with something more suave and sexy. For those who remember them, the closest touchstone is probably the first album by indie-pop act Call & Response, who were so on the nose about their sparkling nature they recorded a song called “Blowin’ Bubbles.”

However, there is more here than the track’s slinky pep. Twin Sister successfully assimilate a variety of influences into a song that manages to wind up feeling both unflappably cool and unapologetically dorky. The final verse, a spoken word breakdown that channels Lex or Debbie Harry, is misplaced in this era by a good quarter-century but completely works.

“Bad Street” comes to us from the band’s debut LP, In Heaven, which was released in late September by Domino Records and follows 2010′s Color Your Life EP.

Click here to listen to Twin Sister’s new debut In Heaven on Spotify.

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One of my current favorite things about the weekend is that the local oldies station in my neck of the woods has taken to playing random episodes of America’s Top 40 with Casey Kasem on Sunday mornings. One week listeners might be treated to an episode from May of 1984, then the next week it’s August of 1973. It’s a great reminder of the old days back when AM radio was king and the Billboard Top 40 reflected the mindset of the teenagers of the nation.

Listening to “Babyface” by The Elected after being treated to one of those re-broadcasts makes one wonder what in the world ever went wrong with the Top 40 radio format. Back in the 1970s, the song’s indelible hook and its mix of sunshine pop and funk would have propelled it high onto the charts, where it would have been right at home rubbing shoulders with everyone from The Rolling Stones to The Doobie Brothers to The Partridge Family. Nowadays, though, such a chunk of splendid ear candy gets relegated to the “indie” ghetto, to be enjoyed only by reviled “hipsters.” What the heck happened?

The Elected are the baby of Blake Sennett, who recently announced the dissolution of his previous band, the beloved Rilo Kiley. While Rilo Kiley’s demise is sad, it was probably the right call for Sennett. He’d become increasingly overshadowed by co-bandleader Jenny Lewis’ growing popularity, so it was in Sennett’s best interest to set her free to pursue her solo career before he became a de-facto sideman in his own band. With The Elected, Sennett is the sole focal point, and on “Babyface” he more than proves himself able to command the spotlight.*

Sennett’s stated intention for “Babyface” was to pay tribute to The Stones in their ‘70s heyday as the biggest band in the world, when they mixed soul and funk with slinky pop hooks on albums like Sticky Fingers, It’s Only Rock & Roll and Some Girls. The song’s seductive slither deftly accomplishes that goal – as well as also recalling Talking Heads in some of their more playful moments – as Sennett and his female backing vocalists uncannily summon up the feeling of driving around on a ‘70s summer day with the car windows down.

It’s a strange world where a song like “Babyface” is considered alternative. In decades past, it’s precisely the sort of song Casey Kasem would have featured on America’s Top 40. Nowadays, though, it’s unlikely that the show’s current host Ryan Seacrest will ever be introducing it to his listeners. As a result, a generation of teenagers is getting screwed out of a song that could have defined one of their lazy, golden summers. That just doesn’t seem right.

You can listen to “Babyface” and eleven other tracks on Bury Me in My Rings, which was released on May 17th by Vagrant Records.

* [Ed. note: interestingly, Sennett has said that "Babyface" "would've gone to Rilo Kiley, but there's no Rilo Kiley output to be funnelled to."]

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Imaginary Cities “Hummingbird”

Imaginary Cities is a male/female duo who hail from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their debut full-length, Temporary Resident, which includes “Hummingbird,” made the long-list for Canada’s prestigious Polaris Prize. Hidden Pony released Temporary Resident in March of 2011.

“Hummingbird” offers up a mix of propulsive rhythms, fleshed-out hooks, and touch of drama. Centering on Marti Sarbit’s strong vocals, the track blends an off-kilter warble (think Kristin Hersh) and melodic accessibility that’s reminiscent of recently disbanded California foursome Rilo Kiley. Multi-instrumentalist Rusty Matyas, a mainstay of the Winnipeg rock scene and serial collaborator, joins Sarbit to complete Imaginary Cities.

“Hummingbird” conjures up a soundscape that is decidedly warmer than the frosty plains of Manitoba. The piano runs that help give the song its structure may as well be the sun’s rays. The touch of melancholy in Sarbit’s voice keeps “Hummingbird” from becoming too sweet. It is, however, a great pick to spruce up your next beach day or barbecue playlist.

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Caribou “Odessa”

Songwriter Nik Frietas takes an anachronistic approach to songwriting, penning surefire radio hits for a bygone era. His compositions are robust with the classic pop tropes of 1970s AM radio–warm vocal harmonies, plaintive piano figures, and classic song structures complete with sunshine dappled bridges. However, with its droning keyboard notes and digitally delayed chords there are contemporary flourishes present if one listens closely enough to the production.

On “Saturday Night Underwater,” the title cut from Frietas’ forthcoming fifth LP (slated for a June 7th release by Little Record Company), Freitas may be in the finest form of his career. A multi-instrumentalist who feels as cozy behind a drum kit as he does a piano or guitar, Frietas brings a holistic approach to his craft that allows the song’s various elements to gracefully gel. There is no doubt he has also benefited from his supporting roles to Conor Oberst and Broken Bells, for whom Freitas has performed as a touring band member.

“Saturday Night Underwater” feels like a fond reminiscence, its gentle progression carrying listeners along without effort. It is a style that recalls Mojave 3′s more recent forays into the studio (once they ditched Dylan in favor of Lennon) or the more relaxed of Kelley Stoltz‘s tracks. On the surface, it’s light, carefree stuff, but “Saturday Night Underwater” also has enough heart to elevate itself beyond the trappings of its pretty melodies.

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May 2011 MP3 Rewind

Rooney “I Don’t Wanna Lose You”