MUSIC . Music Picks

Bishop Allen

Wed., March 28, 8 p.m., with Say Hi to Your Mom and Plus/Minus, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St.


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Published: Mar 20, 2007

Rock/pop

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Bishop Allen churned out an EP each month last year. Despite the quick turnaround, the Brooklyn band put together a collection of 12 satisfying short stories, including reworked tidbits from its impressive catalog and new, simply and elegantly captured slice-of-life ditties. Most remarkable is how far Bishop Allen has come in one year — introducing a battered piano in January's "Corazon"; flirting with Springsteen, The Kinks and the Stones in the summer; and distilling it all in December's comparatively slick "Last Chance America." Key moments in history anchor many of these beautiful tales. January's devastating "The Bullet and Big D" recounts a friend's suicide against the backdrop of JFK's assassination. March's "History of Excuses" references Sing Sing, Boss Tweed and Rockefeller while lamenting loneliness. June's "The Same Fire" combines images of Civil War ironclads and the burning of Alexandria as metaphors for anguished passion. Live, the band shows off similar intelligence and attention to detail, using Foley effects and a slew of instruments to achieve studio-quality sound.

Wed., March 28, 8 p.m., $14, with Say Hi to Your Mom and Plus/Minus, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., 215-787-0488, www.northstarrocks.com.