The debut album from Monster Bobby, who is also a co-founder, songwriter and guitarist for the British girl group sensation, the Pipettes. Don't expect any punky, Shangri-las-inspired rave-ups, however, as "Gaps" is a charming outing of almost lo-fi indie pop, twisting through sentimental numbers (a la Magnetic Fields) and glitchy, dreamy washes of sound.

Monster Bobby is an odd choice for a musical persona for sure, yet not so strange when you consider that just a few months ago, the label issuing this one launched with the debut full-length from a musical robot named Wolfgang. In spite of what the name implies, Monster Bobby is very much a human, and is actually the secret weapon behind Britain's un-scary girl group sensation, the Pipettes -- a co-founder, songwriter and member of their backing band, the Cassettes. Don't expect any punky, Shangri-las-inspired rave-ups, however, as Gaps is a charmingly modest outing of glitchy, almost lo-fi indie pop. Songs like "The Postcard" and "Once More to Lay Down Beside You" borrow a page or two from the same sentimental songbook that Stephin Merritt uses, but it doesn't stop there. Unlike the title, there aren't really gaps between songs as Bobby replaces the silence with field recordings and other beguiling noises which often blossom into an unexpected song; during "Leave Quiet" a brief, hushed lullaby hangs behind a wash of birds chirping and small bits of bubbling electronics, and then slowly dissipates into static. (Perhaps it's no surprise to find that he's also an avid fan of composers like Xenakis and Cage, and also has an essay on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop appearing in an upcoming book called Hauntologies.) Add to the mix a little accompaniment from ukulele, melodica, music boxes, and glockenspiel, and you get a playful and dreamy 32-minute album that packs in more unexpected twists and changes than most CDs twice as long. [GH] (August 27, 2007)