Mas Rapido!

Mas Rapido! is the latest alias for Frank Bednash and Donna Esposito, who previously recorded together as Cowboy & Spingirl and Toothpaste 2000. This time around, Bednash and Esposito haven't let go of their obsessive love of classic pop riffs, but they have upped the guitar firepower factor a bit, with Esposito chopping out thick, chunky chords that still have a touch of jangle around the edges, splitting the sonic difference between punk sass and '60s pop sheen. Bednash holds up his side of the show with solid, supportive basslines that capably carry the hooks and the melodies (dig his savvy James Jamerson lift on "Those Shoes Look Good on You"), and both partners write great songs and sing 'em with commendable passion. Bednash's tracks are a bit harder edged, with shades of the early Who visible in "I Didn't Want to Hurt You" and "This and That" winding into a Cheap Trick-ish rave-up, while Esposito leans toward more melodic fare, and her glorious "If This Is Wrong" and "Falling in Love with Love" are genuine standouts. While Bednash and Esposito are rocking harder, they still know how to write melodies to die for, and have learned their way around the studio so their music works better on tape than before. (The fact that no drummer is credited also suggests they've learned their lesson about appointing a permanent third member.) Mas Rapido! is the work of smart pop veterans who still have fresh ideas to share, and it ranks with their finest work to date.