Lane Steinberg
and
Steve Barry
(formerly
Steve Katz
) were formerly two-thirds of the Florida-based
pop
trio
the Wind
, whose three mid-'80s albums are highly prized by
power pop
obscurantists. Their second release under their revived partnership, 2004's
Bad From Both Sides
is one of the finest albums either singer/songwriter has been involved with.
Steinberg
Barry
's mix of winsome
jangle pop
melodies and odd, often funny lyrics on unexpected topics will be familiar to anyone who's heard
Fountains of Wayne
, but the difference between the two bands is that
Tan Sleeve
are much less afraid to balance a goofy trifle like
"Puffy's Gun"
(about the notorious club shooting that sent
P. Diddy
's protege
Shyne
to jail) with a pair of songs like the heartbroken,
country
-tinged
"It Doesn't Snow in New York Anymore"
(which has a chorus oddly similar to
the Carpenters
'
"Top of the World"
) or
"Equidistant,"
songs unafraid to examine actual emotions without a clever quip. The wide-eyed
"Maria Bartiromo"
(a much better song than the late
Joey Ramone
's ode to the legendarily babealicous cable-news financial reporter) and the woozily
neo-psychedelic
title track, which includes a sly quote from
the Hollies
"Stop Stop Stop,"
are particularly nice, but the album's unexpected highlight is a completely sincere and gorgeous reading of
Henry Mancini
's theme from
Breakfast at Tiffany
's (No, not
"Moon River,"
the other song), complete with wordless harmonies, strings, vibes and a very
Brian Wilson
-like banjo part. It's so gorgeous that an entire album of
originals in the same style sounds like an enticing prospect; the closing
"The Meaning of Success,"
with its softly crooned vocals, brushed drums and similarly lush arrangement, sounds like a teaser for this fantasy project. Varied, engaging and beautifully crafted,
is a triumph. ~ Stewart Mason