*** Nothing Painted Blue

THE MONTE CARLO METHOD

(Scat)

Can you be too intelligent to play in a rock band? Vocalist/guitarist Franklin Bruno has certainly faced the question since the late '80s, when he and two friends at Southern California's Pomona College formed Nothing Painted Blue. While the group's angular, indie guitars and strong rhythmic sensibilities are ØPB's foundation, it's Bruno's lyrics that have always distinguished this band. On their sixth album, Bruno is characteristically literate and playful with language ("History stutters like it's got Tourette's/Ignoring the meaning of its epithets," from "Modern Again"). He sides with underdogs and outcasts in "2nd Class Citizen," and "Developer's Dream," late-bloomers in the fast-paced "Growth Spurt," and loners in the tender "Explorer Scout." His unassuming vocal delivery contrasts neatly with his subtle yet complex songwriting -- nimble, jangly and jerky except for the occasional introspective ballad. The Monte Carlo Method (the title may ring a Pavlovian bell for mathematicians and stats geeks) reaffirms ØPB's standing as one of the underground's smartest groups. Luckily, it's infectious and immediate enough that you don't need to be a PhD candidate to "get it."

-- Mark Woodlief