Cheepskates

The mercurial Cheepskates began life as an anomaly on New York's garage-rock scene: when most of their peers were scouring exurbia for vintage paisleys and vinyl (the more primitive the better, on both counts), this low-key quartet was creating some of the most carefully crafted pure pop to escape from those Seed-y halls. Run Better Run, dominated by Shane Faubert's bouncy (but not overly retro) Farfisa organ and clear, expressive voice, attests to the group's originality.