"My Dinner with Andrew" is an ongoing series of reports influenced by my best bud Andrew, a darned good pharmacist and swell guy even if he doesn't know anything about hip music. This story takes place not long after Andrew's return from California, a combination work and recreation trip. The scene is Lalo's Mexican Restaurant in Oak Park, Illinois.

Me: Hola, amigo. No margaritas tonight-- there's a new CD that must be reviewed for the masses. Hopefully, I'll be home early enough to do it.

Andrew: What this time?

Me: It's by a band from Oregon called Pep Squad. It's their third record, something called Yreka Bakery. I wonder if they know any pharmacists out there? I could use a couple in that neck of the woods...

Andrew: I keep meaning to get up that way every time I'm out on the coast. There's too much in California, though. Have you ever seen any pictures of the Hurst Mansion?

Me: Sure, I've seen shows on the Discovery Channel about it. It's castle- lookin'.

Andrew: Yeah, but you know what it was really for? You have to see the place. It has a very Roman-esque feel. There are a lot of areas in the courtyards, in the pools, in the house, that, according to the tour guides, were places to go if you needed a bit more privacy. Now think, Hurst was a recluse with a lot of Hollywood friends. Hollywood people have some twisted leanings. The place is up in the mountains, secluded, and the only way to get there is to go up his private road and get past his private guards. The place looks like a Roman estate. What were the Romans famous for?

Me: Legions? Feeding Christians to the lions?

Andrew: Orgies. The place is a fuck palace.

Me: So, before Hef, there was Hurst.

Andrew: Somethin' like that.

Me: Well, hey-- this Pep Squad disc is like an orgy for the ears. They play with an excess of musical styles. A goofy Adam Ant song, an awful disco sound, weird Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. take-offs, and a lot of other stuff that sounds like it could be the Pixies meet Spandau Ballet meets Sonic Youth.

Andrew: Maybe all three of those were in one of those alcoves in the Hurst Mansion pool.

Me: Aw, man! I don't even want to think about Kim Gordon making it with Black Francis. At least, not while I'm eating fajitas. Pep Squad doesn't look like they would be the demon seed from that spawning, anyway. Here, take a look.

Andrew: Hey, the chick's cute. Looks like she's got some big hoots.

Me: That's why I call you a high-brow intellectual. That's Kim Everett. She's the sister of the singer and guitarist of the band, Brian Everett. He's the one that looks like a chubby Corey Haim. I don't know how big her hoots actually are. I've never seen them live. The band or her hoots.

Andrew: She's cute, anyway. He looks like he should be in this town in California that I went through. It's nicknamed the 'Town of Ugly People.' And was it ever.

Me: Well, I'm not one to judge a fellow man. Besides, I try to review what they sound like, not what they look like. But I'll mention the hoots. Should help sell a few hundred copies.

Andrew: So, what do they sound like, anyway?

Me: Oh, they sound like a whole bunch of stuff. Kinda emo...

Andrew: As in Emo Phillips?

Me: Actually, sometimes Brian does sound like Emo Phillips. But 'emo' is basically just rock with tons of emotion-- hence the name 'emo'-- and lots of stop/ starts and loud/ soft moments. They have an emo sound, a post-punk sound not unlike the Pixies. They say on the cover that if you like Weezer, you'll like Pep Squad, too. It's when they get too smug and cute like Weezer that they get really annoying, though.

Andrew: They did that "Buddy Holly" song, right?

Me: One and the same. There's an ample handful of those types of songs. It's when they stick to more structured power- pop that they're actually listenable. But there's way too many songs to wade through in one setting. If they'd trimmed off like five songs, they'd have a really good EP.

Andrew: So, why not just program your disc player so you don't have to listen to the shit?

Me: I've only got the single- play CD player. It doesn't have a programmable feature. I think after a couple years, when these guys learn how to write a bit better, and they get some better production, I'll run off a copy for you. You'd probably like the new Midnight Oil, though. Um, waitress, can we have more tortillas?

Andrew: And two Tecates, please.

Me: Now back to the nice hoots. How was Santa Barbara?

-Duane Ambroz