As leader of the now-defunct Clem Snide, Eef Barzelay took flak from critics for weaving smart-alecky wordplay and pop-culture references into his keenly observational songs.

NPR: Eef Barzelay: A Blueprint For Finding Love

Children of all ages can test their tongues with witty wordplay in "Allicatter Gatorpillar, " where a creature that is half alligator, half caterpillar sings songs and bares his teeth.

NPR: Quirky Poetry Collection a Salute to Silly Stanzas

By comparison, the new Traffic and Weather feels strangely listless as a whole: Songwriters Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood remain masters of astute character sketches and sly wordplay, but the disc never fully coheres as more than a winning but uneven batch of playful novelty songs.

NPR: Fountains of Wayne: Long-Distance Dedication