The Limiñanas

What could be cooler than a blend of ‘60s garage/psych rock and sexy French yé-yé pop, accented with the perennially hip vibe of the Velvet Underground and the suave allure of Stereolab? That’s pretty hard to top. France’s Lionel (multi instrumentalist, vocals) and Marie Limiñana (drums, vocals) claim they fell in love one summer listening to the Seeds, and when romance blossomed, so did the idea for a band rich in classic rock sounds, but wrapped in a sleek, modern wrapping. On “The Darkside,” one can’t help but think of Serge Gainsbourg and Françoise Hardy, with those blasé female vocals, slinky, sensuous bass/percussion, and swirling guitars. But on tracks like “Down Underground,” livelier vocals and pulsing organ conjure Stereolab, and the churning groove of the Velvets drives “Je Ne Suis Pas Trés Drogué.” “Funeral Baby” rocks admirably with acoustic guitar, and “Tigre Du Bengale” snakes and slithers with tablas and what sounds like a sitar. The Limiñanas is playful, fun, and just plain cool.