Persephone back from underworld

Notes from the Underworld Persephone’s Bees Columbia Records

out of

Rocks… Notes from the Underworld Persephone’s Bees Columbia Records

out of

Rocks like: The Cardigans, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fleetwood Mac

The first major release of Persephone’s Bees, Notes from the Underworld, is a crowd-pleaser for sure. The band, whose name stems from Russian poet Osim Mandlestem’s work, has musical variety as thick as lead singer, songwriter and keyboardist Angelina Moysev’s Russian accent and leaves fans and newcomers alike craving more.

Fast-paced and animated throughout, the album throws listeners with juvenile, bubbly lyrics and blends underground punk rock with hints of more gypsy- and folk-inspired sounds. With only 11 tracks, there’s little room for improvement. Every song is carefully molded and put into place; all songs are distinct from one another, and none are disappointments.

“City of Love,” the album’s first true gem, is included on the 2005 “Bewitched” soundtrack amid other extraneous sounds of Frank Sinatra, the Talking Heads, R.E.M. and The Police. It is also famous for appearing in a Razr cell phone advertisement. In the song, Moysov, in tandem with some zany keyboarding, alternates between sexy spoken verse and quick, snappy expression.

Both “Nice Day” and “Even Though I’m Foolin’ Around” elicit a ’60s go-go club atmosphere. The former is high-pitched and lovey-dovey while the latter offers optimistic lyrics reminiscent of Vitamin C’s 1999 hit “Smile”: “Too hot for tea, but I’ll drink it anyway/Too late for him but I’ll take him anyway/Happy to be alive.”

“On The Earth” is another album favorite, about the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives: “People, people, people. Cars, cars, cars.”

Calling to mind those incessant Cardigans and Fleetwood Mac references is the slow-paced and slightly muffled “Walk to the Moon.” Somehow, the song still remains sharp and catchy, in a way only Tori Amos can usually pull off.

Refreshingly original and captivating is “Muzika Dlya Fil’ma,” sung in Moysev’s native Russian. Only three butt-kicking chicks away from a “Charlie’s Angels”-spoof theme song, it will get you going with its sensually sung lyrics and upbeat backup. While the band currently resides in San Francisco, its heart obviously still remains loyal to Russia.

Extended guitar solos and psychedelic reverb slow the album to a stop in “Home.” Offering a much-needed tone-down from the earlier electronica, it offers some time to relax and muse over the previous tracks: “Let’s walk into the rain/Let’s play with the snow/Let’s swim in the clear river/As we did before.”

The band draws from an ample background of influence. Moysev gravitates toward her gypsy heritage with high-pitched vocals, whereas guitarist Tom Ayers draws from his knowledge of glam rock, power pop and alternative dance.

From the trip to the “strange city of love” to the “ride on a big white butterfly,” Notes from the Underworld crosscuts genre boundaries, appeals to the masses and offers up an exciting taste of what’s in store for the band. Persephone’s Bees’ eclectic and open-minded talents are impossible to categorize, but undeniably satisfying. Surely it won’t be long until they’re blowing up the speakers in an Urban Outfitters near you.