Bartlebees

Taking a page from the Television Personalities, the German lo-fi trio Bartlebees began plying its trade of ragged, sweet indie pop in the early '90s. Nevertheless, despite the undeniable influence of the Television Personalities (in fact, TP's Dan Treacy plays organ on the first Bartlebees album), the German outfit has none of the lyrical aspirations of its predecessors, trading in cultural commentary and sharp anguish for bittersweet romantic platitudes. 1995's From Paths of Pain to Jewels of Glory was the group's first U.S. release, consisting of 26 tracks that combined the...