The White Ravens

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bubble pop of the Miley Cyrus ilk. Three hours later, the White Ravens' set was more than a relief. Their exuberant songs with blissfully catchy melodies made me want to dance all night.

Though they play with drummer Vince Russo and guitarist Andrew Brown, the White Ravens are essentially the local brother-and-sister duo of bassist and vocalist Amy Bennett and keyboardist Will Bennett. Will's still in high school and Amy's just started college, but they perform with the stage presence of veteran musicians. (When there was a problem with Amy's bass, she kept singing and switched instruments seamlessly.) Since I saw them last October, their tunes have been in near-constant rotation on my iPod. I can't resist their keyboard-driven pop with its geek chic Schoolhouse Rock vibe, Motown catchiness, and enough electro-rock elements to keep them from being written off as just another indie pop band.

Will's been compared to Ben Folds and Billy Joel, and his killer keyboarding merits the comparison. He pounds the hell out of the instrument, but he keeps to himself on stage, letting Amy be out front. Playing a bass that's bigger than she is, Amy looks like a pristine marzipan model of cool girl rock 'n' roller. Part of me wishes I were just out of high school so we could be pals. And it's not just a look. She's got some stout pipes that sound not only young--in their forcefulness and enthusiasm, mixed with a dash of adolescent anger--but also seasoned, if not quite polished. Although all of the songs are playful and light, the duo plays with a raw intensity that gives their live shows an extra dose of immediacy.