Raveonettes

Not often does a Danish boy-girl duo pay musical homage to rock and roll Americana. Copenhagen's Sune Rose Wagner and Sherin Foo, however, have been there and done that. And with Pretty in Black, they've done it again. Despite the introduction of guest musicians such as Suicide keyboardist Martin Rev, Ronettes' vocalist Ronnie Spector, and Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker, the Raveonettes don't stray from the surf-rock sock hop. Tracks such as "Love in a Trashcan" and a synth-infused version of "My Boyfriend's Back" are catchy enough. In fact the entire album is quite pleasant, which is inevitably the problem. The Raveonettes fail to take any risks whatsoever, instead choosing to play it safe with the same old schtick.