Grass Widow

Whereas many of the band's contemporaries, in the explosion of lo-fi all-girl pop groups, are content to foreground the noise and force listeners to dig for the pop tune hidden underneath, San Francisco's Grass Widow are comfortable placing the songwriting front and center. They're more than justified in doing this because the band produces smart, tuneful pop songs that're over well before they start to wear out their welcome. With transparent instrumental arrangements and charming three-part harmonies, Grass Widow is poised to leave the garage toward bigger stages.