Cannonball Jane - Knees Up! (2007)

Whatever happened to Pizzicato 5? That question will be foremost on the mind of any indie kids old enough to remember swaying awkwardly in place to singles like "Magic Carpet Ride" upon hearing Cannonball Jane's second release. Knees Up! has undeniable sonic similarities to The Sound of Music-era Pizzicato 5: multi-layered electronic beats, witty sampling, almost childlike tunes played on chiming, high-register synth settings, and coolly detached female vocals, here courtesy of Connecticut-based elementary school teacher Sharon Hagopian (aka Cannonball Jane). The five original songs on this lengthy EP range from the dreamy sugar rush of "The Secret Handshake" (which features the most awkwardly stilted rap section since Madonna's "American Life," which Jane somehow manages to make endearing instead of irritating) and the wispy semi-Brazilian twee pop of "Bossa Tug," to the more propulsive, clattery dance-pop of "Slumber Party" and "Breaker Breaker." The remaining tune, "Take It to Fantastic," appears in three mixes, the catchy-enough original, and a moderately radical pair of reworkings: Ad-Rock's beat-crazy take transforms it into a fairly average piece of electro-clash through the addition of a deliberately cheesy rhythm box and plinky early-'80s video game synth, but DJ Downfall (of the Heavenly-affiliated U.K. indie act Tender Trap) completely transforms the tune with a joyous blend of real and electronic percussion that doubles the energy level, making for a rousing end to a fine slab of indie electronica. -- Stewart Mason