As the allure of antiques lies in their rarity, so the allure of Antique Pop lies in the rare ground it covers. Most of these songs from Victor (Jeff Freling, guitar) and Penny (Erin McGrane, ukulele) are sugary, romantic, lighthearted spins on selections from the Great American Songbook — Jimmy McHugh's "Exactly Like You," the Mills Brothers' "Dirt Dishin' Daisy," Sam Theard's "You Rascal, You." The string arrangements and the harmonic melding of McGrane's silky lyrics with Freling's old-timey, wah-wah voice are most superb and add extra layers to the pair's sound. Both of Freling's instrumentals — "Victor's Dream" and "Rickshaw Chase," which includes a collaboration with gypsy-jazz guitarist Gonzalo Bergara — contain solid guitar work and provide respite from McGrane's theatrical vocals (too often the centerpiece of the songs). It's like an antique gem, this Antique Pop. And much like semiprecious stones, slightly antiquated easy listening isn't for everyone.
