The Billions

Last time we heard from the Billions, the future seemed to be pretty unsure for a group on the cusp of going somewhere. In 2001, shortly after issuing its first nationwide release, Never Felt This Way Before, the band went on hiatus, leaving fans of the Lawrence power-pop revivalists without a catchy hook to hang their hats on. But now, just four years later, it looks like a little time off was exactly the kind of therapy the band needed. In addition to a marriage, a baby and some on-again, off-again lineup changes, the band members — brothers Sam and Dan Billen, Ken Komiya and Simon Bates — spent a year in a farmhouse just outside the Lawrence city limits, communal-living style, to put out its Northern Records debut, Trash & Treasure. The result? A whimsical, uplifting blend of poppy synths, drum-machine beats and Pinbackesque vocals that both you and your kid sister can enjoy — and maybe even tell your friends about.