The Monochrome Set

The Monochrome Set started out as a witty, urbane take on post-punk that owed a debt to swinging '60s pop and twangy surf music. Steered by the darkly clever songs of Bid and the crisp playing of the band, their first records were smart and weird, covering obscure lyrical territory while also delivering snappy hooks. Their jumpy debut single, 1979's "He's Frank," set the template for the band through the early '80s on a string of albums like early masterpiece Eligible Bachelors that balanced Bid's songs and the group's growing sonic presence. The first incarnation of the group...