Copyright 1990 The Washington Post   
The Washington Post
November 19, 1990, Monday, Final Edition
SECTION: STYLE; PAGE D7; PERFORMING ARTS
LENGTH: 264 words
HEADLINE: Jellyfish
SERIES: Occasional
BYLINE: Eric Brace
BODY:

     The essence of pop music is its ability to evoke sentimental
yearnings and wistful memories. San Francisco's Jellyfish is a pop
band once removed, scared to admit its true identity.   On stage at
the 9:30 club Tuesday night, it hid its sentiment behind t
he accouterments of camp -- bubble machines, platform shoes, blousy
shirts, zany hats and caps -- as if to say, "Sure we can pull off
perfect four-part Beach Boys harmonies, but we've got postmodern
sensibilities with irony to spare, so don't dare think w
e're being mawkish slobs."
     Jellyfish put on quite a show of pop arrangements, but the
band's skill was overshadowed by its derivativeness. It's
impossible not to hear Beatles and Beach Boys, especially, in the
band's music, with nods to Supertramp, Cheap Trick, Gilbert
O'Sullivan,
 10cc, the Hollies, the Monkees, the Raspberries, Crowded House --
heck, just about every pop purveyor of above-average intelligence
in the past 25 years makes it into its musical caldron. While
seeming archly calculated, the band's best songs had pleasur
es that were hard to deny: "I Wanna Stay Home," pegged to a
heartbreaking melody and spare arrangement, was best, while the
bubbling "Baby's Coming Back" had the sold out club shaking.
     Lead singer and stand-up drummer extraordinaire Andy Sturmer
has a strikingly clear voice, as long as he's not losing it, as he
finally did after Badfinger's "No Matter What." The rest of the
band can sing almost as well, and the harmony arrangements are
 setting new live standards despite the frequent bouts of sugar
shock the band induces.