Side Stage

Spotlighting the best of local music: The Parallelograms
by Evan George

Geometry dudes tell us that if a quadrilateral has two pairs of opposite sides of the same lengths, then it is a parallelogram. In that case Chris Curtis and Stephanie King definitely form a parallelogram. The L.A. duo—thick-framed Curtis and sultry synth princess King—manages the difficult feat of balancing their dork factor with their chic factor, their retro pull with their future push. Opposites attract, and it shows.

But the Parallelograms are also deliciously square, and here’s proof: When you stick the L.A. duo’s album Adult Contemporary into a computer, the CD player automatically classifies its genre not as Indie or Alternative, but as Easy Listening. And speaking of proofs, this band practices their brand of electro-pop like it’s accelerated math science—steady nerd-dance beats, swaths of kaleidoscope keyboards and equal parts monotone spoken word and diva disco poetry. They manage a witty update of the less-inspired electro-pop of Figurine and the keyboard rock of the Rentals that sounds more L.A. than Honolulu by giving it a spit shine of psychedelic sheen. Imagine the quintessential Tiki bar, tripped out with lava lamps and lovely ladies spilling gigantic Mai Tais on neon puke shag carpet—Adult Contemporary is on the hi-fi.

The fractal sharpness of album opener “Bypass the Otherness” shows how kick-ass keyboard manipulation can occasionally make old-fashioned percussion completely obsolete. “Hurt Like a Heart Attack” shows the band’s chops at lounge orchestrations and easy breezy pop that you can’t find anywhere anymore. Then, of course, there’s “Cap ‘n Cork’s Liquor Locker,” the duo’s ode to the Hilhurst liquor store that gets rappy with a hundred phrases for being soused. Better drinking music than this you will not find. The Parallelograms are like the blue umbrella in your electro-pop cocktail.

The Parallelograms play an in-store at Amoeba Records on Friday Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.