Imperial Teen

The members of Imperial Teen have some loud, crashing noises in their backgound -- keyboardist Roddy Bottum was in Faith No More, and drummer Lynn Perko played with the Dicks -- but now they specialize in old-school pop-rock and relatively mature themes, making them a happy indie rock oddity. Like bands such as Yo La Tengo or the Go-Betweens, Imperial Teen promise that love among consenting adults is the key to happiness, and that the modest glamour of life in a cult rock band beats having a day job. To communicate this, they employ bright hooks and riffs, delicate harmonies, catchy choruses, and guitar-and-keyboard raveups. Imperial Teen's vibe is both gay and straight, male and female, sweet and a touch sadistic, as Bottum can proclaim, "Why you gotta be so proud?/I'm the one with lipstick on" just as fervently as the whole band can holler "I like you/I like you" until the crowd believes it. Although widely separated in years and recorded for different record labels, their three studio albums are remarkably consistent. Live at Maxwell's is full of premium material, but the rougher, flatter sound renders it best for those already in the Imperial court. – Michaelangelo Matos

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide