Ah, Minneapolis. I love you, but I gotta go. Your below- zero weather, worthless clubs, tired music scene, and generic hipsters have just gotten the best of me. Destination: Chicago. Date: April 1, 1999. That's right, Minneapolis-- I'll see you around. I'm gettin' outta this hellhole and heading a 300 miles southeast to the land I love. But first, let me pack up my Kitty Craft disc.

Here, kitty kitty! Ah, there you are! You're as delicious as the first day I met you-- your laidback grooves, your hip-hop beats, your tinny, super- treblized vocals, your general funk... you're so very sweet.

For the record, Kitty Craft's full- length debut, Beats and Breaks from the Flower Patch is 11 tracks of hip-hop drum loops, sexy vocals, and sweet, innocent pop. They sound like a happier version of Portishead or Love Spirals Downward, but where those bands are dead-on serious and overly dour, these kids are more concerned with being fun, lovable, and most of all, cute. Their samples are playful (like the James Brown countoff on "Mama's Lamp"), and their songs are pure pop confection.

The record's standout comes three tracks in with "One Fortune Smile--" the song's unforgettable, Beatles-ish guitar hook and block- rockin' beats are enough to get you dancing, even in 20 inches of snow. "Alright" is a catchy number as well (though a bit plodding after a few repeated listens), and the shimmery "Shine On" is a winner, too.

There's a certain degree of sameness to Flower Patch, though, and after a while, its one (and only) pop formula drags it down. But even on first listen, it's instantly likable, which is a rare thing these days. Take it in a little at a time, and you'll dig this record for the rest of your days.

-Ryan Schreiber