THE BANANAS

Adding major-studio polish to catchy songs doesn’t necessarily make them better, which is why some of the best underground bands’ albums sound rough and raw, like an amateur recording of a concert. It’s not that groups such as The Bananas don’t have appealing pop hooks, because such songs as “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” and “Butt-in-ski” are as unforgettable as their lyrics are indecipherable. With drums racing, guitars thrashing and a male and female singer trading snotty shouts, The Bananas capture all that’s great about garage-spawned rock and roll in an all-too-brief 14-song spurt. With the exception of a moody early-Nirvana-like instrumental intro and the dramatic flamenco romp “Pink Tuxedo,” the group never eases its Stooges-on-speed assault. Real rock and roll isn’t dead — it’s just harder to find, and Forbidden Fruit is the type of album that’s well worth the search.