Minnesota Mix: Best Friends Forever

Best Friends Forever
Romance Conflict Adventure
Plan-It-X Records The most obvious thing to say about Best Friends Forever is that they sound like they're having fun. Centered on the long-lasting friendship of songwriters Briana Smith and Jessica Seamans, the music is rich with a sense of genuine joyfulness. Cute, cheerful, and unabashedly ramshackle, the group first made a splash on the local scene with the release of their self-titled debut in 2004. That album's standout track was "My Head in Front of Your Head." A love note to Abraham Lincoln with an instantly catchy chorus and lyrics as smart as they were silly, it had every element of a classic college-radio hit.

On Romance Conflict Adventure, the girls and their new drummer (Joe Rand) have laid down at least three tracks that successfully follow up on the magic of that song, the most conspicuous being "Eisenhower Is the Father." Another infectious tribute to a former president with quirky lyrics and heartfelt sincerity, it's a love song thanking him for his role in creating the interstate highway system, the background for a true love experience. Who knew it was Ike who put the bop in the bop she-bop she-bop?

While the album may be a little front-heavy, with standout tracks "Handpocket," "Ghost Song," and "Eisenhower" all occurring in the first half of the disc, there aren't any throwaways. Witty, cuddly, and undeniably funny, Romance Conflict Adventure captures BFF's lyrical potency as much as their rare bond in melodious harmony.