Goldenboy, "Underneath the Radio" (Eenie Meenie Records)

This L.A. trio's sophomore full-length is a tale of two sounds: Joyous '60- and '70s-style garage with some Brit pop thrown in, buoyed by a deep, haunting baritone on the first half of the CD gives way to down-tempo contemplative reflection. And throughout, the sticky-sweet music belies an emotional ambivalence.

"Ice Breaker Blues" is dreamy Beach Boys-like pop driven by a twinkling piano, while "End of Forever" is chiming guitar pop and "Summer of the Evening" is up-tempo pop rock.

The bittersweet lament "Motorbike" foreshadows what follows. "I'm Still Down" is a melancholy dirge, and the title track is a plaintive piano elegy. The countryish stripped-down "Goodbye Erica" details a breakup, while the lovely "Blackbird at Heart" is a brooding lullaby with hushed falsetto vocals.

Goldenboy comes to town Wednesday for a free show at Atomic Cantina, 315 Gold Ave. S.W. Hymns and Crimson Soul open at 10 p.m. 21 and over. 242-2200.

Erasure, "Light at the End of the World" (Mute)

Brit duo Andy Bell and Vince Clarke return to what they do best: up-tempo, over-the-top (most of the time) disco beats and dance rhythms. This is big sound/big production electronic dance music with pop sensibilities.

The disc opens with the cautionary tale "Sunday Girl"; these are mostly songs about love in all its permutations. First single "I Could Fall in Love With You" is New Wave disco, and the techno "Sucker for Love" is about the redemptive power of love, regardless.

"How My Eyes Adore You" slows down the electronica amid loneliness and isolation, whereas an electro Latin lilt propels "Darlene," about relationship angst: "Where do you go when you think about me? What do I do when I think about you? You got your religion; I got my addiction; we got dirty dishes in the sink."

Soulful vocals add to the ambience of "Glass Angel," but the showstopper is the autobiographical "Storm in a Teacup," about Bell's mother's alcoholism.

The Clutters, "Don't Believe A Word" (Chicken Ranch Records)

This Nashville quartet exudes a '60s garage rock vibe wedded to a punk attitude, with male/female harmonies and vocal interplay.

These guys wear their collective influences on their sleeve, while at the same time subsuming them. Driven by Farfisa organ and a tribal beat, hand claps accentuate a male-female call-and-response chorus on "9999 (Ways To Hate Us)," a more punkish B-52's with helium vocals. Other tunes are reminiscent of Devo (the punk New Wave "Radio" that's repetitious and infectious), Iggy & the Stooges ("Living Thing") and, yes, even Ramones ("Rockaway").

"Fire" is a righteous clatter that takes you from speedy country to punk to rock all within four minutes, and the vocals ooze ("Don't believe a word/you and me make fire") relationship angst/ennui/contradiction.

"Temperature" is a rock 'n' roll stomper with a heavy bass fuzz, and "The Short One" is 44 seconds of punk blast. Closer "Surrender" has a country-punk tinge with "Pretty Vacant"-era Sex Pistols' bravura. This will be your new favorite band.