Walk Away Renée / Pretty Ballerina

(Left) footnotes at the time, The Left Banke left their mark on rock ‘n’ roll with their mastery of the baroque pop sound. Their debut mostly exists as a showcase for their two hit singles. “Pretty Ballerina”’s tinkling harpsichord makes the narrator’s fascination with the titular dancer seem more sinister than sweet, while “Walk Away Renee”’s pastoral beauty makes for a nice counterbalance. Funnily enough, both songs were written by the band’s keyboardist about the bassist’s girlfriend. The rest ain’t bad either — Beatles-esque vocal harmonies and classical-inspired melodies make this a listen as lovely as the target of the songwriter’s affections.