Colourmusic

What to do with a hopelessly pretentious but inarguably catchy band like Colourmusic? Though the Stillwater, Oklahoma, natives claim a bloodline to Sir Isaac Newton and a mission to make records based on the principle of synesthaesia — where hearing sound translates into seeing colors at the same time — they're just making playful, layered pop music. With the psychedelic sound-stacks of post–Soft Bulletin Flaming Lips and the über-cute collectivism of the Polyphonic Spree, Colourmusic can't quite avoid being painted as derivative, even as they dabble in all the hues on the indie dance-rock palette. Around some sweet acoustic guitar riffs nicked from the Bruce Cockburn songbook and some unison vocals nicked from the Mouseketeers, the band manages to sound brainy, bonkers and believable all at once.