At once cutesy and clever, girly and rebellious, the Dream Bitches excel at crafting songs that are almost as oxymoronic as their name. The songs on Sanfransisters are bubbly and familiar-sounding, but underneath the melodic, dreamy exterior you'll find lyrics that are caustically biting and as bitchy as the band's moniker would have you believe. On "Dream Bitch", musical duo and childhood friends Yoko Kikuchi and Ann Zakaluk proclaim, "A behavioral relapse makes me worse than the very worst / My hair's in my face, my lips are slightly pursed / I should stop asking people if they like me and us / Because hardly anybody does." These snappy lines are sung fiercely, with standard riot grrl attitude, yet the fact that the ladies deliver them over jangly acoustic chords rather than aggressive electric riffs sets the Dream Bitches apart from their girly punk counterparts.

The rest of Sanfransisters maintains the girls' "look at how cute and clever we can be" folk-punk aesthetic. Layered harmonies, tambourine flourishes and tinges of accordion accompany bitter lyrics about broken hearts and cheating lovers. Kikuchi and Zakaluk harmonize so sweetly that even lyrics about drained blood, cheap girls and gambling debts sound as if the duo are singing about puppy dogs and teddy bears. When the girls aren't singing about their relationship woes, they're singing about quirkier, lighter fare -- childhood memories, fizzy beverages and weekend road trips -- just as zealously and wittily. In "Atlantic City", a clever ode to "a nearby city of sin", they fondly recall a town that "assaulted their morality" with a "hazy boardwalk that cost $400 when (they) played a friendly game". It's a refreshing summer song that's as cute as it is caustic, with a simple sing-along chorus and happy-go-lucky handclaps.

The music's cutesy sound occasionally borders on ingratiating (like when they sing about meeting in elementary school), but for the most part, Sanfransisters works well; it's a fun collection of songs, perfect for reminiscing, traveling, or even the odd bitch session.