Charles Atlas is not one person, but a trio: Charles Wyatt (formerly of Piano Magic), Matt Greenberg and Alexander Kort (a former student of Tony Conrad, playing cello); they hail from San Francisco. This is their debut CD (also the debut CD for Static Caravan). Charles Atlas are a strange crossover of many styles: from popmusic to drone and noise, but always with a clear love of a desperate poppy tune. Most of the ten instrumental pieces are melancholical in tone, with keyboards, guitars and cello playing sad tunes. They know how to create a somewhat desolate atmosphere and some of this stuff has cinema like qualities. What else is there to say? Simplicity rules. Great CD. (FdW)