Allo Darlin'

London twee poppers Allo Darlin’ have been known to name-drop icons like Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins and Stephen Hawking and give creative nods to Johnny Cash and the Ramones. That might seem at odds with the sugary, angelic lilt of singer Elizabeth Morris (also of Tender Trap) and the gently glinting tambourines and sparkling ukuleles she and her bandmates shake and pluck, but it all makes a strange kind of sense. Allo Darlin’, the group’s self-titled album debut, is like a stroll through Carnaby Street or Golden Gate Park on a sunny ‘60s day, the air filled with equal parts innocence and knowingness, naiveté and youthful smarts. The brisk, bubbly guitars and percussion, witty lyrics and the occasional surprises (like the Pipettes’ Monster Bobby’s sublime Calvin Johnson impersonation on “Dreaming,” the buzzing guitar on “Woody Allen”) make for an insanely fun listening experience. Lines like “You tried to prove your manliness/by winning me a teddy bear” in the catchy “Kiss Your Lips” and the wonderfully cascading notes of the chorus of “My Heart Is a Drummer” are sweet treats indeed, but Allo Darlin’ finds exactly the right balance.