This is a darling little disc. Betika is a quartet whose delicate pop numbers simply ooze Britishness. Their tender vocals will draw well-deserved comparisons to The Smiths (despite the fact that one of the band members is female) -- a comparison that's particularly apt given the slightly morose, smart-kid arrangements. However, this analogy ignores the disc's true delight -- the classical training that the members cannot quite escape. Accompanied by acoustic guitar, occasional xylophones, and a warm tape hiss, the four musicians intertwine their voices as if they were writing madrigals instead of pop songs. The end result is what a tender hooligan would have played in King Arthur's court. For instance, the dainty "Dance and Scream" has a completely misleading title, as its classical guitar and legato vocals invoke a courtly promenade instead of a mosh pit. The music's soft touch lingers long after the final notes fade away, making Heads Smashed in by the Boy/Girl Thing a disc to treasure.