Bonus points for covering Mano Negra (“Indios de Barcelona”). More bonus points for covering Brave Combo (“Do Something Different”). Baby Snufkin is the first band I’ve heard with either of those influences, let alone both, yet the sound is familiar. Throw in a few flashes of post-siesta rock and there’s a bit of Cake’s sound here, too. Overall, Baby Snufkin does extremely well in their musicianship, have more than a handful of good songs of their own (“Channel Thirteen,” a strangely segmented piece, really stands out), and do end up building their own sound out of these interesting pieces. Still, take off points for the thin production, credited to the band itself. Baby Snufkin are headed some place interesting, and it definitely beats listening to the radio. Heyday Records, 2325 3rd St. Sand Francisco, CA 94107; http://www.heyday.com
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