With the Minders' roots in the Elephant 6 collective, it's not totally shocking that one of the premier pop outfits in Portland, OR, is composed of a bunch of '60s-centric retro-poppers with serious
Beatles obsessions. In fact, such a fascination should be expected even before hearing the band's sunshine shimmy ("Hand on Heart," "Golden Street") and clap-along choruses that recall everyone from George Harrison to
Ladybug Transistor, and occasionally even the more subdued moments of
Guided By Voices. A handful of friends show up on
Golden Street to contribute trumpet, violin, and -- as the liner notes state -- "unidentifiable objects and grooves," but the Minders are primarily Martyn Leaper, Rebecca Cole, Joanna Bolme (of
Stephen Malkmus' Jicks), and drummer Hutch Harris. And in the end, theirs is a lightweight pop romp that should appeal to fans of other Elephant 6 bands and '60s pop. ~ Jimmy Draper