Stereo Total

Stereo Total's kitsch doesn't sound as fresh on their eighth album as it has in the past. That's kind of a funny thing to say, but it's a compliment. Rather than working the bratty novelty-act angle, the duo seems to have settled into their vintage rock, surrounding themselves with quirky musical tchotchkes and getting comfy enough to have a nice, bilingual chat. Oddly, those homey digs sometimes sound like someone else's turf (namely, Shonen Knife on tracks like "Plastic"), but Stereo Total has made a rather successful career out of creating really innovative music out of recycled materials.