PRETTY & NICE

By JOE BERNARDI

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Pretty & Nice just got back from what seems like their 50th tour of the year, their much-labored-over debut LP Get Young is out now and the CD release show is fast approaching. But according to guitarists/vocalists Jeremy Mendicino and Holden Lewis, the coolest thing that's happened to them took place at a Jiffy Lube in Idaho. "Outside of Boise, we stopped and had our oil changed," explains Mendicino, "and the guy who did it said, 'Oh, are you guys in a band? Oh, cool. My boss is in a band.'"

The proprietor of the Jiffy Lube was Brett Netson, better known as the bassist and guitarist of Built to Spill (who, in turn, are probably the only good band ever to come out of Idaho). "If I were in Built to Spill, I don't think I would have been as nice," says Mendicino. "If I worked at a Jiffy Lube, I would have been like, 'So fucking what you're in a band! Tell them to quit!'"

"He came to the show that night after calling his wife," says Lewis, "and having her listen to us, and she said it was nice."

In spite of the whole name thing, "nice" isn't a word they use to describe their new record. Mendicino, the album's engineer, refers to one song as a "super-hyper, tight, organized, mathematically choppy little pop song."

Get Young finds Pretty & Nice experimenting with their own song structures—adding synthesizers and electronic drums (courtesy of percussionist Bobby Landry) where there were previously only syncopated guitars. In addition, the group recently added Bo Moore, guitarist for Wonderful Spells, to their ranks as bassist. "Wonderful Spells is still happening," assures Lewis, "but they were going to take a little time off and I happened to ask him at the right time."

Pretty & Nice appear to have stepped away from the months-long recording process confident, if not sober. "I think Get Young is very interesting, which I think a lot of bands can't say about their recordings when they're finished with them," says Mendicino.

Lewis agrees, but adds, "I listen to it a lot better when I've been drinking and I can't think about how it was made or anything."

[Get Young comes out Tue 10.7.08. Pretty & Nice play the CD release show Sun 10.19.08 with The Royalties, The Toothaches and Professor Pez. Great Scott, 1222 Comm. Ave., Allston. 617.566.9014. 9pm/21+/$4. greatscottboston.com]