Back when CDs were first becoming the rage, and I was a radio DJ, I used to delight in buying those "Indie Top 20" compilations -- if only because I was assured to get at least a handful of decent britpop songs that I could leave cued up and ready, should I be swilling down a beer in the booth when a track unexpectedly wound down. It was a convenient stopgap measure that, in retrospect, introduced me to quite a few bands like Radiohead and Saint Etienne. I marvelled at how the English loved their pop so thoroughly scrubbed, shiny and polished -- none of that smelly post-rock that we Americans are so fond of, thank you.

Which brings us to Dubstar. The scrub-n-shine makes another appearance in this thoroughly refined, Etienne- reminiscent piece of '90s indie pop. Goodbye is laden with well-conceived, big-sound string and horn arrangements framing the mahogany-rich voice of Sarah Blackwood. The lyrics, most classifiable as "self-consciously Smiths," act in covert action under the bright melodies and subtle guitar and bass workings. Naturally, as this is the '90s (shit, it's almost the 00's by now, goddam), and each track makes a tasteful nod to the techno crowd, strictly as extra spice, but never overpowering. The last three tracks, dance remixes, give the pacifier peeps what they want -- surprisingly good interpretations of the originals which appear in their virginal form earlier on the record.

Nutshell version: Dubstar's Goodbye is a well-crafted, modern reinterpretation of most of the best elements of the britpop scene of eight years ago, infused with enough new ideas and gloss to keep yer attention and take yer money.

-James P. Wisdom