THE SHARP THINGS What’s the Deal: New York pop isn’t owned only by the young and tragically hip. Nope, sometimes it’s powered by stately sophistication and a classical refinement. The Sharp Things, a name which immediately conjures images of a brash garage rock group, are a chamber pop group comprised of eleven members playing smart sounds taking influences from jazz, soul, indie rock, folk and classical, to name a few. Shortly after the basic group was started in 1995 they began picking up instruments – strings, horns, woodwinds, keyboards – bringing them to their current lineup and the release of their third album, A Moveable Feast, this past June on Bar/None Records.

On “Cruel Thing” the soul influence is obvious, as is a touch of Burt Bacharach, on this sweet and smooth song with female backup singers, some keyboard prances and gentle layers of strings. Singer/songwriter Perry Serpa does his best Marvin Gaye on the track off A Moveable Feast. The horns, woodwinds and strings all contribute to the triumphant chorus on “Through With Love,” which has Serpa declaring just that.

Something Interesting: They recorded much of A Moveable Feast in various kitchens, living rooms and basements around New York City. That is, all the parts that didn’t include The New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, a 40-piece orchestra.

Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Homeless”

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ZOOKEEPER What’s the Deal: Here’s a band that based on the legendary status of the lead singer alone should have been profiled months ago. Anyone from Austin who’s been even casually acquainted with the indie rock scene since the mid nighties is going to recognize many of these names. Zookeeper is lead by Chris Simpson on guitar and vocals, and the supporting musicians are supplied from a heavy current of indie rock flowing right down Red River. Simpson, the singer of legendary early emo outfit Mineral and later frontman for The Gloria Record, leads the moody, melodic rock tunes with the occasional help of members of Zykos, Sad Accordions, The Black Angels and Okkervil River, among others.

For those of us who still have that faded Mineral shirt at the bottom of a tattered cardboard box full of old band Ts like billboards speckling memory lane, hearing songs like “Trumpets” off Zookeeper’s debut full-length, Becoming All Things, is like listening to an old friend. Simpson’s vocals still have that melodramatic potency, and it’s paired here with a laziness and softness of hand in the drum beats, organ pulses and acoustic strums.

Something Interesting: The sheer number of qualified local musicians who contribute to this musical project make it well worth a curious listen. Possibly as a direct result of these contributions, the audience at Zookeeper shows are largely populated by musicians and critics.

Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Tax Collector” and “Two Part Invention”

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