My Brightest Diamond,  A Thousand Shark’s Teeth (Asthmatic Kitty)

Ethereal and quirky, My Brightest Diamond’s sophomore release, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth, is their best yet. Moving away from her classical roots, singer Shara Worden adds an edge to her warbling soprano that pairs nicely with the fuzziness of an electric guitar. Lush orchestration provides a theatricality to the band’s arrangements, evoking an operatic landscape complete with surreal stage scenery. This album isn’t just entrancing, it’s downright cerebral. If you ever wondered what would happen if Tom Waits and Björk were to dance the tango, well, this is it.

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Mirah, That Old Days Feeling (K)

It’s hard to compare That Old Days Feeling to Mirah’s previous releases, since it’s not really a polished album, but a collection of rarities and unreleased songs.  There’s a charm in its light-heartedness, however, guaranteed to win over new fans as well as long-time devotees.  Mirah’s no stranger to experimental music- her sweet tones can be heard on several tracks by Indie darlings The Microphones/Mt. Eerie as well as on the collaborative Songs from the Black Mountain Music Project (2003). This album demonstrates her musical range: from the sunny ska-like “Slighted” to sexy “Dreamboat” and introspective “The Place,” this album is full of surprises.

Dana hosts Melodic Mayhem, Friday nights from 1 -3am on WTJU 91.1FM or at wtju.net

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