Those of you old enough to remember tie-dyes the first time around and those of you young enough to find retro pop new are really gonna dig these guys. Maura came up playing punk, British folk rock, and good ol' Everly Brothers-style American rock. Pete's a Byrds man, keying into the "Merseybeat pop, hardcore modal folk, Coltrane style jazz, Indian raga, and great harmonies" on his touchstone tune, "Eight Miles High." Pete and Maura spent their early careers playing clubs in local bands and gigging solo, and Pete put in time as a sideman for Kate Wolf, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Nanci Griffith. The two came together on Nanci Griffith's 1993 European tour, when she asked them to open for her. Only problem: they had no act. But they meshed so well, musically and personally, that they were able to whip up a repertory of original tunes.
        Since that serendipitous beginning they've released five albums that run the gamut from poetically acoustic to upbeat, jangly pop. We're talking post-Brian Wilson, 21st century "ear candy" here, with bell-like Rickenbackers and soaring harmonies. On their "Evolver" album snatches of hiphop meld with moptop pop, and jangling Rickenbackers ride a fresh groove. But it's not like they need the studio to groove, as they prove on their latest CD, "Positively Live!" This is what you'll see tonight — two acoustic guitars, two voices, and extended jams that bust through the boundaries of the three minute pop song. Much more emphasis on the guitars, much more room for Maura's voice to stretch out, and more space for their wide ranging, offbeat eclecticism to flow freely. Groovy, baby!