Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla is surprisingly eclectic in his new CD, "Field Manual" (Barsuk): He channels Peter Gabriel's odd harmonic sense on the eerie, atmospheric "Two Fifty," then slips into Death Cab singer Ben Gibbard's smooth, earnest tenor on the raw rocker "The Score." "A Bird Is A Song" veers from Simon & Garfunkel-lish to a funereal dirge. Calls to mind pioneers such as Built To Spill or Guided By Voices. And on the deceptively upbeat "Archer Vs. Light," Walla calls out supporters of the war in Iraq: "I wanna see your 'pro-life' bear no exception, you grand old senator." The pleasant songs tide us over till the band's next record.

— Michael Hamersly, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

FUNKY FRESH

Half the fun of listening to "Oracular Spectacular" (Columbia) from MGMT (pronounced "management") is playing Guess the Influence. On their major-label debut, the wildly creative Brooklyn duo spins sonic collages that span multiple genres and musical eras. The fabulously glam "Time To Pretend" marries T. Rex vocals with the Flaming Lips' kooky psychedelia. "Weekend Wars" pastes Ween's quirky vocal sense atop Everlast's acoustic hip-hop guitar progressions, and adds Bowie's "Moonage Daydream" snarl and a trippy Beatles-esque calliope. "Kids," an electro parody with sunny '60s harmonies, captures what it's like to be a child ("You pick the insects off plants/No time to think of consequences"). Every song is dense with thoughtful, unorthodox chord changes and whacked-out tangents that make a three-minute song feel epic, and the familiar sound fresh.

— M.H.

NAILS, LIKE, WHOA!

"When my nails look good, it makes me feel good," says Tiffany Tanaka, owner of Queens Boutique (formerly known as the Candy Shop) in Kaka'ako. Tanaka is riding the cutting edge of a burgeoning trend, as hip-hop and urban artists adopt wild nail art. For proof, check out hip-hop singer Kid Sister's video with Kanye West, "Pro Nails," featuring a wild zoo full of painted nails long enough to do some damage: "Oops I'm a go/ Nails like whoa/ Acrylic base/ Top all gold."

Queens has introduced a collection of T-shirts to the U.S. called "Nails Did," with illustrations from London-based street artist Frames — created after a visit to Los Angeles, where Frames noticed nail salons on practically every block. The slick, ubiquitous 1980s influence of Patrick Nagel is unmissable (Nagel's black-and-white posters of women with teased hair and bright nails are still commonplace on hair and nail salon walls everywhere), but it's now been recycled with a touch of irony. Find "Nails Did" T-Shirts, $45 to $55, at Queens Boutique, 831 Queen St.; 589-1102, ext. 205.

— Lacy Matsumoto

MUSIC VIDEO

FIRST FOR BLESS

Lucky Ito grew up in California listening to Samoan music, but as a sixth-grader in the Filmore district of San Francisco in the early 1990s, he stood outside the circle and watched as hip-hop rhymes and lyrics were spit back and forth by his peers. It was a first impression that created a passion for hip-hop music. Moving to Hawai'i when his Army dad was reassigned here provided Lucky with a second home, where he would join the hip-hop community.

"There are certain feelings that I can't touch because they are too sensitive or blunt, so I express them through music and poetry," says Ito, who's adapted the MC name Bless. After making a local impression in numerous battles and performances, his first music video will debut at 10 p.m. Wednesday, on OC16's "DisNDat" show. The single "I Found You" reflects on his relationship with his fiancee. "I can compare her to the next love in my life, which is music; she is my music," he says. Ito plans to release his CD internationally in May.

— L.M.

COOL STUFF

WHEN LIFE THROWS YOU LEMONS ...

There is something comforting about a tall glass of chilled lemonade on a warm Hawaiian day. The Big Island Organics company has revolutionized the concept of lemonade by infusing fresh Hawaiian ginger, noni, yerba mate and agave to create a line of lemonades that is tempting and nutritious. The juices are packed with anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and natural sugars. "I drink the Gingerade to prevent colds; it's really strong and kind of harsh, but in a good way," says Christopher Loomis, the owner of Kahuna Distribution, which distributes the lemonade on O'ahu. The lemonade comes in 16- and 32-ounce bottles, and costs about $2.50 to $6 at health-food stores; www.gingerade.com.

— L.M.

SALES & BARGAINS