The Lemonheads

From little punk bands big pop acts grow -- or so it seemed when the Lemonheads hit their early-'90s stride. Fronted by alterna-hunk (and occasional Blake Baby) Evan Dando, the group briefly fused low-fi aesthetics with Top 40 ambition, but ultimately lacked the discipline to turn its talent for hooks into an actual career.

Named for a sour candy, the group started out with a sound that touched on hard rock while paying homage to punk icons such as Husker Du. They recorded several cheaply produced albums and EPs for Boston's Taang! label, of which Lick showed the sharpest pop instincts, thanks in part to its earnest, balls-out rendition of Suzanne Vega's "Luka."

By Lovey, only Evan Dando remained from the original lineup (although guitarist Corey Loog Brennan turns up for two tracks); perhaps as a consequence, the rockers there are augmented by occasionally introspective ballads, the best of which are disarmingly tuneful, and surprisingly moving. Spanish Dishes brought out even more of the band's pop smarts, but it wasn't until It's a Shame About Ray that the band truly clicked, thanks to the power-poppy title tune and a sly cover of the Simon & Garfunkel oldie "Mrs. Robinson."

But Dando's growing celebrity, combined with an ongoing drug problem, began to take its toll. Come On, Feel the Lemonheads felt more like a lemon than a hit, while Car Button Cloth was as pointless as its title. Still, there's enough fizz to The Best of to leave most listeners wishing that Dando and the Lemonheads had realized more of their potential. (J.D. CONSIDINE)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide