Kickball

These Olympia, Washington, kids achieve serious cuddliness where most of their regional, post-Beat Happening peers barely make it past cutesy. High-pitched lonely-boy vocals, jangle-ass guitars, stuttering bass parts, sugar-shock harmonies, hyperactive-but-not-show-offy percussion (by a pigtailed young woman whose nom-de-rock is listed as simply "Drumz"), rise 'n' fall dynamics and nonchalantly prurient lyrics add up to an irresistibly sweet 'n' sour treat. Coyly provocative song titles on their new ABCDEFGHIJKickball CD include "Shoulders," "Skinny Dipping" and "Sway." These guys could be the next Talking Heads. You heard it here first!