Little Lebowski Urban Achievers

Started as an excuse to play as drunkenly as possible, Minnesota’s Little Lebowski Urban Achievers somehow found the proper buzz levels needed to craft solid indie pop-rock tunes. The group’s recent-ish 7”, Is This a Party or an Intervention? and accompanying bonus disc (r.e. -- CD-R) contain some good songs. Not great, but definitely good, in the vein of, say, the Wrens or Pavement.

The highlight of the brief set is “A Touch of Dickel in Your Mouth,” a song about drinking Miller High Life. Everything coalesces into a grungy, tasty, sloppy mess (like hot wings!). When the band remembers to write hooks, like on “Touch,” they turn out nicely. Guitar lines are spunky, the vox are catchy.

Sometimes, though, the songs can be kind of indistinct. “It’s a Fine Line You Walk in the Wife Swapping Business” takes up the entire B-side of the 45, and it’s just not that fun. Slow and clunky, the song eventually hits its stride when gang vocals come in to accompany the snarling guitar, but otherwise it feels like a bunch of half-baked ideas.

“Wife Swapping” isn’t really indicative of the band’s sound, though. The entire CD-R is chock full of quick ‘n’ catchy numbers like “Dickel,” although their titles are far less fun to say. And the entire A Side is good, if you’re into drinking whilst listening to songs about drinking. If you’re down with the shitfaced equivalent of Pavement, Maritime or Meneguar, hit up Little Lebowski Urban Achievers' MySpace for a few free tracks.