AMG Review of Bitter Club

Stephen Cramer
All Music Guide

On the six-song Bitter Club, England's Pipas unveil a half-dozen refreshing songs. The group continues to impress through sheer simplicity and wonderfully light musings. The opening "Mental" showcase the duo's infectious indie pop sensibilities, along with their drum machine-based backdrop. Their simple sound is their strength, and Lupe leads the way with her gentle whispering over gentle beats. The title track is next, with Mark taking over on vocals on a track wrought with painful sincerity. The disc is brief, filled out with no-nonsense songwriting and storytelling, like the brief and focused "Sixten," and the light and airy "Jean C." The disc ends with the layered electronics of "South," originally found on the Golden Square album, remixed and given new life on Bitter Club. California's Matinee Recordings released the disc in 2004, whetting fans appetites for a new full-length from the indie pop legends-in-the-making.