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Following Radiohead’s lead, Wonderlickalittle-known California pop duo featuring former members of ’90salterna-poppers Too Much Joyasked fans to preorder their second full-lengthCD, Topless at the Arco Arena, andpay whatever they wanted for it. Little did Wonderlick realize that individualswould shell out as much as $500 for that privilege.
Perhaps even more fascinating is that Topless at the Arco Arena’s title wasinspired by an engaging essay written by Tim Quirk (one-half of Wonderlick)that draws parallels between a woman baring her breasts at a 2001 AC/DC gig inSacramento, Calif., and the dot-com boom and eventual bust. The pieceoriginally appeared in the 2004 anthology ThisIs Pop and is reprinted in the album’s liner notes. Its theme permeatesnearly every one of these 16 intoxicating songs, with Wonderlick’s dreamy poprock reaching for arty overtones.
