Sometimes, she's sweet Charlotte

The vocalist-guitarist Charlotte is Charlotte Sometimes.

She could be regarded as the New York band since the tall, waiflike performer is the focal point. But, she says, it's a group effort.

"This isn't my solo project," says Charlotte, who won't reveal her last name, "We're in this together."

Charlotte is also only Charlotte sometimes because she goes by her actual first name -- which she also won't reveal -- and Charlotte, which is her middle name.

"I'll never tell you what my first name is," Charlotte says while calling from Chicago. "Only my family, friends and bandmates know it."

While it might seem a bit too precious to some, in her view there's nothing wrong with adding a little mystery in this overexposed "Cribs" era, where mystique is a fragrance and nothing more.

"We know everything about everybody today," Charlotte says. "We know too much about celebrities."

Still, Charlotte isn't a celebrity yet. But Charlotte Sometimes -- yes, the group was named after the dreamy Cure song -- has potential. The band, which will perform Wednesday at the Brewery, has a shot at making a splash because of its sexy, stylish and charismatic 19-year-old vocalist-guitarist, who has a beguiling falsetto and a maturity that belies her age,

Charlotte Sometimes, which also includes guitarist Chris Gabriel, keyboardist Coley O'Toole, bassist Shaun Savage and drummer Spencer Peterson, crafts quirky, catchy pop-rock. Some of its most effective tracks are dark but pretty, which isn't surprising since Charlotte is a big Roy Orbison fan.

"Whenever Orbison opened his mouth up, man, it was just so beautiful. The lyrics might have been corny but the melodies are so interesting."

Charlotte can hang with her Manhattan hipster pals, but she is aware that it takes more than cool clothes and attitude to succeed in the world of pop-rock.

"It's about the songs," Charlotte says. "It's that simple. You can look as cool as you want but if you want longevity it's about the music."

A precocious and unpredictable sort, Charlotte was weaned on Van Morrison, Billie Holiday and the Everly Brothers while growing up in a small central New Jersey town. "I had to move to New York," Charlotte says. "I needed that."

Shortly after turning 18, she made her way to Manhattan and started writing intense songs such as her high water mark to date, "Sweet Valium High," which hits with couplets like, "you can beat me/I'll love you while I bruise." The track, which is about co-dependence, is not an allegory.

"I got treated like crap by a guy," Charlotte says. "It's good for a CD to remind us of how bad love can be."

Charlotte Sometimes' debut full-length disc, "Waves in the Both of Us," will drop in February. "We're so focused," Charlotte says. "It's going to be a big year for us next year."

While a quick-witted performer, Charlotte can be over-the-top melodramatic onstage, and she's the first to note that she's had issues. Her biggest battle was with anorexia. At 5-feet, 7 inches, she dropped to 90 pounds during her high school days.

"It was worse than anyone can imagine," Charlotte says. "I was falling down, passing out and my hair was falling out. It was hard but I recovered and now look where I'm at. I'm living proof that you can come back from what haunts you and make something happen with your life."