Boyskout

This local combo's fine 2004 debut, School of Etiquette, displayed scuffed-up, grrrl-garaged new wave, and was released on Alive, a label mainly known for ripped-jeans R 'n' R revivalism. With Another Life, the band goes even further down the synth 'n' mascara route, and lands on the indie-leaning Three Ring label. The immediate impression Another Life gives is of a band cringingly late to the Totally '80s costume party. Having two S.F. scene vets (singer/guitarist Leslie Satterfield and drummer Caroline Mills) in its midst means Boyskout has the trendy aura in spades, but the band also possesses the chops to separate itself from the couture pack. Hence, Another Life cuts and chimes away with chorus pedals and slinky, coy cooing not sprung from any post-Bravery balderdash, but wholly unearthed from the days when bands like Satisfact, the Need, and the Faint were polishing the cutting edge of art-punk.

Singer Satterfield aspires to Marlene Dietrich dour, but is still saddled with the moan (and lyrics) of someone trying really hard to be sexy. But then the latter half of the CD runs closer to School of Etiquette, proving Boyskout, even in its most solemn moments, still has a tendency to rip up its jeans. — Eric Davidson