Hello Stranger – Self-Titled

Wisely ditching the name Vagenius for the more commercially palatable Hello Stranger, this Los Angeles trio (recently expanded to a four-piece) coolly navigates classic femme-pop waters on its own eclectic terms. Vocalist Juliet Commagere never turns in a rote performance despite having studied her iconography charts, from Debbie Harry (the Latin-flavored new wave of Dancing For No One) and the Cardigans Nina Persson (the club-friendly anthem Take It To The Maxx) to Rilo Kileys Jenny Lewis (electronica goes atmospheric for Her In These Lights) and St. Etiennes Sarah Cracknell (the dreamy piano ballad Kubrick Eyes). As you might surmise, keyboards and programming are prominent here. Producer Ry Cooder drummer Joachim Cooders dad guests on three tracks, but his guitar contributions are fairly muted and unobtrusive. As a contemporary dance-pop album, this isnt particularly subversive or ground-breaking. But it still has an undeniable quirky charm that impresses with repeated spins.