Downtown Runnin, the debut from Brooklyn-based experimental pop quintet Big French is a difficult listen and not for everyone, but fans of the Pixies, The Jesus and Mary Chain or Weezer will find the challenge worth it. While neither lo-fi nor vintage, few overdubs and post-production corrections give the album a serrated edge. In any given song, a number of layers fight for your attention. Short and sweet, averaging 1:40 each, Downtown Runnin crams 18 songs into 31 minutes. Singer and principal songwriter Quentin Moore’s vocals are at once twee and screamo, and times just plain abrasive, like a much sharper, Geddy Lee, Tiny Tim, or Boats’ Matt Klachefsky. Vocals aside, some of the songs are downright catchy, like the power ballad “Would Not Try” or “Payback,” which belongs in a video game. (Wharf Cat Records, wharfcatrecords.com) Broose Tulloch