Originality and beauty
12/26/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Caribbean is a startingly original band that is one of the criminally undiscovered pop gems bubbling under the surface of the indie-rock world today. Coming out of the traditionally punk and roots-rock hotbed of Washington DC, "Verse by Verse" expertly conveys a beauty, pop sensibility, and inventiveness that is rarely seen in popular indie music. Influences from Burt Bacharach and Antonio Carlos Jobim to XTC and Wire ring throughout, but are always brought to a new level of perpetually appealing, unfailingly interesting avant-garde ear candy. Reward yourself and buy this album. It will broaden your horizons and make you happy all at once, while sounding like something you've never heard before that is somehow immediately familiar. Top of their craft -- in a perfect world these guys would be superstars."