The final album from Claremont's finest featuring our own Franklin Bruno plus pals Peter Hughes (The Mountain Goats, Diskothi-Q) and Kyle Brodie. On Shrimper.

The third solo album and hands down the best yet from the lyrical juggernaut Franklin Bruno. The man brought his game to these recordings. Thirteen brand new tracks that swoon from the gentle Spanish feel of the title track to the dusty, tumbleweed twang of "Tired of the West" to the classic wry pop Franklin is known for on "Love's Got A Ghetto" to a cover of the Jerry Vale standard "Two Purple Shadows." As always, this man can write and rhyme. The album was half recorded with Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Mates of State, Handsome Family) and half with Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Giant Sand, Brokeback). Guests include members of Calexico, Nothing Painted Blue, Refrigerator and Jonathan Richman's band. (AK019)

enny Toomey, ex-frontwoman for indie darlings Tsunami and longtime Franklin Bruno pal and supporter (her Simple Machines label released Franklin's first solo album, A Bedroom Community), both collaborates with and pays tribute to the songwriting genius of Franklin Bruno. Contains such classics as "Cheat," "Just Because It's Dying" and "Your Inarticulate Boyfriend" as well as new gems written specifically for this project such as "Every Little Bit Hurts." On Misra.

The lead singer for Nothing Painted Blue returns five years after A Bedroom Community with his second solo album. The songs here, mostly arranged with just electric guitar, upright bass and vocals, carry Franklin's trademark wit and knack for pop hooks. One of the greatest lyricists and songwriters of our time, Bruno is vigorously loved by his fans and criminally unknown and wildly underrated by the rest. Kiss Without Makeup includes a jazz trio reworking of his classic "Clean Needle" (originally from Shrimper's "Abridged Perversion" comp) and such newer favorites as "Nickname Stuck" and "Idiots." (AK005)

1998 and the boys came back with another smash underachiever. Includes "Niacin" and a Good Horsey cover!!! On Scat.

Subtitled "Singles '88 - '95," this collection is absolutely essential, highlighting these power pop geniuses in their strongest format. While their full lengths are always rewarding to some degree, Nothing Painted Blue is a band that best demonstrates the purpose of the single. They love to cram theirs with heaps of hooks and Franklin Bruno offers the cleverest rhymes ever written. Includes the indie pop classic "Swivelchair," the punky "Missed the Point," "After the Housewarming" and covers of songs by Refrigerator, the Great Plains and a sped-up cover of the Mountain Goats' cassette classic "Lab Rat Blues." You must own this. On Scat.

The stunning 1995 solo debut from Nothing Painted Blue frontman and independent pioneer Franklin Bruno. This is not the first we heard of Franklin having been 0PB fans for some time, but this is definitely the one that led us to his doorstep. Includes the classics "Uninsulated Wall," "For The Firedrill" and "Death of Vaudeville." On Simple Machines.

Franklin Bruno, Kyle Brodie and Peter Hughes hook it up with five pop gems on this 1995 CDEP including "Sorely Tempted" (with Calexico's Joey Burns on bass) and a cover of "(I'm A) Haunted House" plus Scott Banks' "The Future of Communications" reading at the end. On Scat.

1994 album from Upland's unsung pop heroes. I like to think of this as their "power trio" album. Includes the wonderful "Weak," the deliciously bitter"Houseguest" and the ultra-catchy "Can't F(X) ." On Scat.