Bishop Allen and The Deathray Davies

The Secret Machines aren't the only Texas-to-New York success story awaiting clubgoers this week: Nerdy, Brooklyn-based Ivy League melodists Bishop Allen, whose lead singer, Justin Rice, is a Dallas native, hit the Barley House on Monday night in support of their thoroughly peppy self-released debut, Charm School. I'm on the record as proclaiming the album a "good-natured, alternately rocking and rolling blast of Squeeze-might-be-giants pop," an assessment I stand by, even if my friend's ex-girlfriend no longer plays drums in the band. Some new guy named Jack plays 'em now, and they also have a new bassist named Christian--crucial because, along with founding guitarist Christian Rudder, she brings the total number of good-looking bookworms in Bishop Allen named Christian up to two, an impressive figure I doubt many in indieland can challenge anytime soon. The band has been touring their well-educated asses off, and they plan on recording a second CD when this current jaunt ends, so expect Charm School gems like "Eve of Destruction," a fast-talking "It's the End of the World As We Know It" rewrite, as well as new songs about touring your well-educated ass off.