Casper & the Cookies - The Optimist's Club

Hailing from one of the ever-extending branches of the Elephant 6 tree can be unnerving; on one hand, there's an unspoken but understood history that isn't to be tarnished. On the other, there's the mentality that the unofficial label has a defined market, and that kids into the '60s pop-aping regulars like Of Montreal and The Apples in Stereo will gobble up anything coming from that line. So yeah, Casper & the Cookies are yet another Athens indie-pop band. A tag worn with pride, certainly, but not one that's easily done justice. Coming from a scene that bred The Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power and Of Montreal (and a slew of others) seems to have put relatively little pressure on erudite songwriter Jason NeSmith (Casper), who's got enough bounce and hooks to have Kevin Barnes and Bob Schneider scrambling to re-evaluate their record collections. The Optimist's Club finds NeSmith and Kay Stanton both putting hands in the creative process. "Krötenwanderung" is Stanton's fuzzy daydream of an opener, tactfully lulling but not bubbly. "Kiss a Friend" is one of the record's most immediate tracks--NeSmith works his magical melodies over and over again, but trying to get this one out of your head will be an act in futility. Birds and New York City are recurring themes, and if you take the time to piece together the lyrics, you'll apparently stumble upon the story of two friends turned lovers on a trip to the Big Apple. Surrealist/Dadaist Marcel DuChamp is remembered on the lazy, brassed-out "DuChamp's Camera," while "Sid From Central Park" and "Learn How to Disappear" are the token bright-eyed, innocent slabs of harmonized sunshine that seem to be what's expected of Athens bands, but never wears out its welcome. The Optimist's Club excels on multiple levels in that it's meticulously produced (not meaning overproduced, mind you), incorporating various techniques and sounds that only the studio-savvy of us will pick up (I'm not among them). But for all its complexity and niceties, Casper & the Cookies sophomore record is just really excellent, ornate pop music, regardless of whether or not their Athens brethren are there for the comparisons. [www.hhbtm.com]