Also this issue: Trading on Tragedy? This Athens dance duo has nothing but respect for the World Trade Center. -Brian Howard New York Philharmonic -Andrew Ervin The Illadelph Xperiment -Ainé Ardron-Doley Broken Hips -Alex Richmond Angelica Sanchez Quartet -Nate Chinen

May 16-22, 2002

musicpicks

Ultimate Fakebook

Rock/Pop

If This Will Be Laughing Week was Kansas trio Ultimate Fakebook's In Color (as far as Cheap Trick references go), then U-Book's soon-due Open Up and Say Awesome (Initial) is its Dream Police -- a chirpy-but-mature, clap-happy power-pop metal attack with oozing slow moments, cascading Beatle-pop and (implied) rich orchestral flourish at its command. You don't need strings when you're flinging this sort of finicky, freaky pop around. While "The Scheme to Listen No More" and "Goddamn Dance Craze" arch their backs with the same sort of lyrically smirking, silly serendipity Weezer seems hell bent on basing a career on, these moments spell musical diversity and an emotional groundswell for the Fakes. Anyone who calls 'em Eve6 or emo after this, isn't listening hard enough.

Sat., May 18, 2 p.m., $10, with Duvall and Breaking Pangea, TLA, 334 South St., 215-336-2000, www.electricfactory.com.

—A.D. Amorosi