BRIEFLY

Dora Flood
Welcome (Dora Flood)

Indeed. SF-based Dora Flood certainly know their Britpop as this 11-track collection attests. Fans of that heady mid-90s phenomenon will positively delight in this quintet's uncanny ability to evoke the guitar-pop finery of premier Stone Roses, Radiohead, Oasis and Supergrass. Nary a duff number amongst the lot - as the Brits might say - with the highlights being the dynamic "Go In Tonight," the pleasing "Give Us This Day," the Beatlesque "Eraser" and the enthralling "Slow Return (To Sleep)." Regular PoP visitors will adore Welcome. A (www.doraflood.com)  

The World/Inferno Friendship Society
Just the Best Party (Gern Blandsten)

What are these guys (and gals) on? Well, whatever it is I sincerely hope more of us can partake of its freewheeling, carefree goodness. The World/Inferno Friendship Society are a distinctive combo (there are nine of them) that specializes in horn-driven agit-(swing)-pop that recalls Elvis Costello, David Byrne, They Might Be Giants, The Specials and Dexy's Midnight Runners. Very 80s and extremely cool. Tracks like "Zen and the Art of Breaking Everything in the Room," "Secret Service Freedom Fighting U.S.A." and "Peter Lorre" are as zany as they are F-U-N! All aboard! B (www.gernblandsten.com)