Wetlands

My copy of Babies Teeth features one of the most irritating packages ever: The light cardboard sleeve is fastened by multiple pieces of thread wrapped around a button that are a tangle waiting to happen. Thank goodness the music helped compensate for the aggravation. "The Bluefooted" kicks off with retro guitar textures courtesy of Cole Rudy and Mike Marchant that lead into a middle section marked by angsty yowling; "Fed Up With the Letdowns" is a bummed-out slow burner; and "Bar-Rock Obama," built from massed chants, wanky solos and stop-and-start beats, proves to be as dumb as its name — but in a good way. The disc's fidelity isn't especially high, but the performances have real bite. Glad I was able to get the damn thing open.