Hey, you. Yes, you. Over there on the couch...watching the Spike Jones video collection, with the sad look of longing on your face. I'll bet you miss the alternative rock of yore - the kind that was intelligent without being pretentious, and fun without being ridiculous. M I Rite?

Well then, alt-rock fan, you might want to consider checking out Philadelphia-based band, Downtown Harvest.

For those readers who aren't jonesing for Jonezy, permit me a quick trip down memory lane. One cool thing about the1990s alt-rock explosion was the way it somehow united indie and mainstream rock fans. Hip college kids and die-hard rockers alike bought Porno for Pyros albums, rocked out to PJ Harvey, and stood in line for Smashing Pumpkins concerts. Sure, there were a few mainstream rock bands the indie kids wouldn't touch, and several bands too experimental to be fit for the masses. Still, it was a creative, special, and prolific time for alternative rock. Music could be fun, intelligent, and still appeal to a broad audience.

Downtown Harvest are a throwback to that golden era of alternative music; the one which took over both MTV and radio in the early and mid 1990s. It was a time when legitimate geeks became rock stars, long before indie bands were formed from the ashes of failed metal and progressive rock acts. After all, people bought that Weezer were a group of nerds because, well...they were nerds.

Owing to Cake as much as the Pixies, and quite less to Weezer, Downtown Harvest play the sound of loser kids in a winning way.  They've got the complete works of Beck Hansen committed to memory, as well as a penchant for Chinese food. Their latest effort, Golden Dragon, sports a layout inspired by the latter, and its sound is a blast from the past that manages to not seem derivative or nostalgic. It also happens to touch upon that rare mix of “fun and intelligent” which was mentioned earlier.

Larry Thomas Moore, C Dubbs, Tyrannosaurus Frank, and B.O.B. are a foursome of twenty-somethings bent on making your ears happy. Each Downtown Harvester contributes vocals on record, and each tangos with a bevy of musical instruments, as well. The loose and funky sound which has, over two albums, become the band's trademark, is the result of this spontaneous approach. Wacky group falsetto vocals? Sure. Layered saxophone solos? Why not? Surprisingly, though, the band manages to sound tight as hell amid all its uniqueness. Golden Dragon is weird as all get-out, but not purely for weirdness's sake.

“Killer Queen Bee” begins with Run-DMC approved bells before sojourning into Space Invaders bleeps and funky, Beck-style rapping. Its rhythmically spoken verse gives way to a prettily sung chorus, which sits somewhere between The Strokes and The Eels sonically. Add a few more lead guitar lines and it's the sort of blend of musicality and madness which would've turned up Frank Zappa's legendary mustache. Or, at the least, gotten a thumbs up from Devo.

If it gains substantial college radio airplay, Golden Dragon is the kind of album which could make the indie kids have fun again. “Something Elephants” grooves in a way which will make even the most discerning hipster bounce in her seat, while “Shrimp Fried” sports a saxophone motif and rhymes “Wilt the Stilt” with “Built to Spill.” This album is alive and it's infectious, and it sticks with you for days afterward. Like a case of musical herpes that'll make you pray for a recurrence. And, if the horn-tinged, piano driven “Four Hundo” doesn't get your feet tapping, take off your shoes and check your toes for tags.

What makes this Philly collective so appealing, however, is that they are, at the core, a rock band. The rapping and funky elements which pepper their music add to a solid rock timbre to make an interesting and new whole.

Track six, “Napier,” exemplifies this. The angular guitar riffs, background screamy vocals, and dark, slinky bass work are the stuff of a band who has spent a lot of time listening to heavier alternative music. “Man of Mystery” is equal parts 80s post punk and 90s third wave ska, with a bridge that recalls Hendrix's “Purple Haze” and the “tit-tit-tit” part from the Beatles “Girl.” DH are students of the game, and they're not afraid to show off what they've learned in rock class.mein

Downtown Harvest keep it fun and fresh on their second full-length, much like the lo-mein one might order from the Philadelphia Chinese restaurant which is the album's namesake. If you're seeking something moody or profound, this may not be it. But if you’re looking for a band that's fun, funky, smart, and just plain good...this may be your cup of oolong.