I Shouldn't Look As Good As I Do

The perky Math and Physics Club became favorites with the indie- pop crowd after releasing their year-end-list-topping debut back in 2006, with one reviewer calling them “unrelentingly pleasant.” While that could be a lethally cheeky description in some cases, with MAPC it is not; it’s merely accurate (and slightly flip). Their sophomore release, I Shouldn’t Look As Good As I Do Now, shows the band following their light and lilting, Brit-flavored pop muse, and one can’t help but think of MAPC as the Smiths’ younger sibling with each stroke of James Werle’s jangly guitar. But the band turns up a few surprises that are wholly their own, like the funny, banjo- and accordion-driven “Everybody Loves a Showtune” and the equally amusing pop-rocker “We’re So DIY!” Listening to MAPC is a source of relentless pleasure, it’s true, but not in a sugar-coma kind of way. Rather, it’s the attention to detail, the bulls-eye targeted lyrics, and the smart arrangements (the chorus on “Love or Loneliness,” and the rainy-day vibe of “The Internationale” are perfection) that make this Seattle band so sublime.