"Come pick me off the floor and clear this dreary weather..." croons Austin's Andrea Perry by way of an introduction to her world. This thesis develops into an essay that keeps the listener on his toes: one cannot be sure whether to laugh, cry, celebrate, mourn. These songs are upbeat and positive, just as the works of The Smiths, The Cure and The Pogues are upbeat and positive; they pull you up and out of the gutter and offer sympathy or your recent binge. The music and lyrics are the work of an experienced songwriter who has lived what she teaches -- one who avoids clichés and speaks her heart, working elements jazz, new wave, classic folk (Neil Young, James Taylor), funk, punk and good old circus music into her paranoid, extroverted musical message. To Perry's credit, she plays every instrument on Two but the drums -- and unlike some artists, who claim to be multi-instrumentalists but are actually pretty half-assed at most of them, Perry plays them all well. She also produced Two which makes me wonder what wonder drug supplement she orders in her smoothies.

Production-wise, this is no demo -- it's definitely ready for the big leagues. It's also very much a "true" album, designed to be listened to in sequence, rather than a handful of singles padded with filler tracks. The songs average a very concise three minutes thirty seconds -- you'll neither get bored nor long for more. My favorite track ("I Think Of Nothing") comes in at just under two minutes, which seems like uncommon restraint for a self-produced singer/songwriter.

The variety of Perry's music suggests a Beatlesque approach -- free from unnecessary boundaries, but united by a common thematic element. It was Paul, John and George's voices -- never Ringo -- that provided this link in the Beatles' music, and I'm going to risk public flogging by suggesting that Perry's voice has the same type of power. It recalls the sadness of Nina Persson (The Cardigans), the fun of Bis's Manda Rin and the radio-friendliness of Tanya Donnely; Perry could sing karaoke over an Air Supply or REO Speedwagon single and I would still plop down the cash for the bootleg.

Perry's confidence in her music definitely shows on Two. She does not rely on elaborate orchestration, glitchy drum machine loops, filtered vocals or any of the other tricks that FM radio currently pimps on its listeners. I appreciate Perry's honesty, and I believe that she follows the mantra of a true artist: continue doing what you believe and the world (or the people who count) will notice soon enough.