The Cute Lepers

They say the Pacific Northwest can be a real dreary place to set up shop, but the gloomy weather that bums out so many apparently has no effect on Seattle's the Cute Lepers. Singer Steve E. Nix & Co. either have a liberal prescription of Prozac, or they thwart the dreary vibes by writing bubble-gum gutter pop that practically dares your toes not to tap and challenges your mouth not to smirk. Its sugar-coated punk sneer sounds like what Teenage Head would have been like had they started up in the '90s and joined Lookout Records' roster.

Go if: You are looking for an excuse to break out your leopard-print gear and revel in the glam glory of T. Rex and New York Dolls.