Hailing from Warren, Pa., James Reilly and Reese Campbell craft folk rock so fine that their quartet's name seems less playful hubris than fact. The New Costellos, however, might be more apt; their tunes takes on a melodic buoyancy that recalls Elvis' pop rather than Bob's blues. But their themes – Cold War paranoia ("Sleeping With the Missiles"), the pathos of history ("Old Overcoat") – marks them as originals. Intricate narratives poetically rendered, these songs have the makings of offbeat classics (red house, p.o. box 4044, St. Paul, Mn 55104). (RS 681)

PAUL EVANS