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FRANCINE: "28 Plastic Blue Versions of Endings Without You" ' (Q Division)
Subdued indie rock from Beantown: That's Francine. The four-man* Boston-based
group sets an autumnal mood with its sophomore release, whose title was taken
from a lyric in the melodic "Chlorine." ' A bicycle with a sparkle
seat ("This Sunday" s Revival''), artificial wood logs ("Fake
Fireplace Things" ') and the online acronym "lol" ' ("Uninstall"
') is just a sampling of the kind of quirky subject matter found in this 13-track
compilation. Francine especially shines on "NASCAR," ' with its Gary
Numan-esque synthesizer fading into the band's staple guitar-driven indie rock
aesthetics. It's nothing new, but it's enjoyable listening nonetheless.
-- Sandra Barrera
*- ed. note- Now 5 man!