Artist YellowFever

Taking its name from a particularly nasty hemorrhagic virus spread by mosquitoes, YellowFever’s stripped-down sound may liken itself to simple organisms, but it’s not nearly as harsh as internal bleeding—or even bug bites for that matter. Delightfully bright chuggers like “Cats And Rats” off 2010’s self-titled release breathe monstrous fun into the plain-old guitar-and-drums setup. And though the cuddliness sometimes stretches itself thin through wholly uncalled-for ventures like an unimaginative cover of Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me” (deceptively labeled “Multi-Kulti” on the band’s subsequent Bermuda Triangle EP), all is right again when the straightforward gurgle of “Horse” kicks in with an absolutely charming range of vocal eccentricities.

Updated 01/11/2011