The Botticellis

The Botticellis EP (self-released)

The Botticellis play the kind of music my mom likes. But hey, my mom has damn good taste in music! In addition to the classics (Ronstadt, Mac, Raitt), she also enjoys the Shins, Guster, and Built to Spill – you know, the type of sensitive, atmospheric stuff that always gets played during long freeway drives. The Botticellis' self-titled debut EP contains no shortage of wildly accessible (albeit slightly conventional) catchy riffs. "Killing Spree," undoubtedly an A&R rep's wet dream, sets the tone for the rest of the disc with its whining, high-pitched bravado, as co-vocalist Alexi Glickman belts out his almost cloyingly hipster decree: "I'm only talking down to the people looking up." The band's attitude unfortunately tapers on "Glasssteps," the EP's only moment of true hubris. While the rest of the disc remains upbeat and in sync with the sounds of twilight, this four-minute, thirty-second drawl of a decrescendo pulls down the rest of the album with its monotonous lull. However, aside from this slight detour, the Botticellis have chosen to reveal themselves to the radio-friendly masses as steadfast contributors of unabashed pop rock, a band that would fit rather comfortably in Mother's music collection – oh, and that's a good thing. The Botticellis play Fri/23, Stork Club, Oakl. (510) 444-6174. (Justin Yu)

Robert Temple and His Soulfolk Ensemble

What Would You Do? (Broken Pretzel Music)

Oakland singer-songwriter Robert Temple wears his politics on his sleeve and does so quite artfully. Like so many progressive activist musicians, he's steeped in the folk tradition, yet he stands out from the crowd by peppering his tuneful, thoughtful, and at times touching musings on Iraq, the intifada, corporate media, and such with old-school soul flavors. His impassioned, warmly resonant low-tenor vocals are propelled by bassist David Mendoza's loping, prominently mixed lines, Dan Eisenberg's B-3 organ and other keyboards, in-the-pocket drums (alternately by Jim Morris and Chris Miller), churchy harmony singers, and Temple's own bluesy acoustic guitar. His views are strong but seldom strident. On "Step by Step," he admits to being "burdened by moments of doubt, wondering if anything we did back then ever helped anybody out." There's even a protest against drivers who don't use turn signals, set to a James Brown groove, which some enterprising DJ might find makes a fitting segue from the Pilgrim Travelers' 1955 gospel tune "The Life You Save May Be Your Own (The Safety Song)." Robert Temple and His Soulfolk Ensemble perform Sun/25, La Peña Cultural Center, Berk. (510) 849-2568. (Lee Hildebrand)

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