Across the Universe

This Minnesota-bred group’s brash, harmony-filled sound recalls the Turtles, Badfinger and Big Star, with a dollop of musical theater stirred in. But there’s more going on here than just sweet tunes with sharp hooks. What makes these songs truly unique is the lyric sensibility of sibling vocalists Matt and Dan Wilson — capturing ordinary life in whimsically poetic language, they exalt the commonplace into something magical. “Gone, Gone, Gone,” “Turtledove,” “Late” and “Snow Days” (the latter sung by bassist John Munson) blend wry wit with an old-fashioned romantic strain. “The Nail” finds the band crunching down on solid rock, spurred on by Munson’s molten fretless bass and Elaine Harris’ sturdy drum work. Ever-present is Trip’s cheeky sense of humor, most apparent in the comedic mini-opera “The Slacks.” When they choose, they can toss off perfectly wrought pop gems, as “Pearle” and “Unlucky Lady” show. By all rights Across the Universe should have turned Trip Shakespeare into rock stars; sadly, the album wasn’t a major success. A decade later, these quirky and luminous songs still have the power to uplift and beguile.