POPULAR MUSIC

Monday, April 2, 2007

Dean & Britta

Dean Wareham's new project, Dean & Britta, carries on the minimalist, dreamy indie-pop sound that he cultivated with earlier New York bands Galaxie 500 and Luna. The one significant -- and invigorating -- change to the formula is a more overt collaboration with former Luna bassist (and Wareham's wife) Britta Phillips.

On Thursday night, at a modestly attended Black Cat show, Phillips's new role was stunning: Her ethereal voice floated over the music with an airy sweetness reminiscent of Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval, effortlessly enhancing the songs' laid-back feel.

Phillips glided over the leisurely "The Sun Is Still Sunny," while her wistful voice and shimmering vibraphone on "White Horses," the theme to a 1960s British children's TV show, captured the psychedelic pop of the era. When Wareham sang lead, Phillips's soft harmonies even smoothed out some of his dry, deadpan qualities; during a cover of the Troggs' "Our Love Will Still Be There," her ghostlike echoes softened the distance in his voice.

Toward the end of the night, the group -- touring with a backing band -- revisited several Luna songs ("Tiger Lily," "Bewitched"), which felt anticlimactic given Phillips's reduced vocal role. But soon she returned to the microphone to join Wareham for a sultry take on the Serge Gainsbourg/Brigitte Bardot duet "Bonnie and Clyde."

-- Catherine P. Lewis

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Plenty of the people at the sold-out 9:30 club Thursday night were in diapers back when Ted Leo began playing his hyperactive brand of mod-pop with former band Chisel. His nonstop touring and recording in the intervening 15 years has earned him a devoted fan base and has even resulted in a bit of mainstream success: "Living With the Living," his fifth solo album, just debuted at No. 109 (his first appearance on the Billboard 200).

If there's one person you never have to worry about resting on his laurels, though, it's Leo. The Hardest Working Man in Indie Rock never takes a night off. On Thursday, he led his three-piece backing band through 90 minutes of high-energy, hook-filled tunes featuring great moments from his catalogue.

Leo's appeal is easy to identify. He's a regular guy with a receding hairline and no pretense to coolness. Exuding honesty and sincerity, he's the kind of person who blows his nose on stage (and then apologizes for it) and simply says, "I got nothing" when he can't come up with witty banter. And on this night, he sang every song as if it were a matter of life and death, whether it was about the fate of his ska heroes ("Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?) or actual matters of life and death ("Army Bound").

Nobody delivers rapid-fire lyrics better than Leo, and his elastic voice allowed him to nail those crucial high notes in songs such as "Biomusicology" and "Me and Mia." And the Pharmacists did what a backing band should do, providing solid support without stealing the spotlight -- although added guitarist James Canty (ex-Make Up) deserves special notice for greatly helping to fill out the sound.

Leo closed with a cover of Chumbawamba's "Rappaport's Testament," getting many in the crowd to chant the song's "Never give up!" refrain with him. There aren't many people who could get more than a thousand concertgoers to sing along to Chumbawamba in 2007; Leo had no problem at all.

-- David Malitz

Oscar D'Leon

Salsa singer Oscar D'Leon, who is 63, added state-of-the-art reggaeton beats on his "Fuzionando" CD last year. But Friday night at H2O, he and his 11-piece band stuck with his classic repertoire in a set that still felt vital. The Venezuelan-born D'Leon wowed the crowd with his charisma, vocal skills and unceasing exuberance, while his ensemble displayed power and subtlety.

The show started at 1:20 a.m., and D'Leon seemed eager to jam in as many songs as possible, directing his band to begin each song immediately after the prior number ended. This approach did not feel rushed, since a number of the tunes featured the Lion of Salsa engaged in the standard Latin American practice of saluting the homelands of audience members. D'Leon made this ritual seem natural, beaming joyfully and gesturing to his enraptured fans while strutting through speedy salsa dance steps. You would never know this guy had a heart attack nearly four years ago.

D'Leon's singing style is rooted in the dramatic feel of 1950s Cuban vocalists, and the more earthy techniques of 1970s New York-based Puerto Rican soneros. He forcefully sang such upbeat numbers as his major hit "Lloraras," while crooning ballads like "Sientate Ahi."

His musicians were alternately dominant and gentle, depending on the needs of the song. The timbales, bongo, conga and cowbell players kept the clave rhythm going, the keyboard and keytar provided some melody, and the three trombones and two trumpets entered in and out with precision, adding lush or sharp-toned interjections. At 3 a.m., the show came to a sudden end as H2O's house lights and recorded music came on, leaving a sweating D'Leon shrugging his shoulders and reluctantly stepping off the stage.

-- Steve Kiviat