Waxmannequin

Captivatingly bizarre and perfectly witty, the sophomore effort from former Golden Lake Diner member Chris Adeny is a strange ride scattered with Queen-esque vocal drama, fantastically involved lyrical storylines and musical ability far better than your average quirky singer/songwriter can provide. It's hard to determine whether this modern-day prog rock tour de force is meant in seriousness or as a fine-tuned parody of the art rock albums of yore, but it's that balance between outlandish humour and dry professionalism that makes Waxmannequin's latest effort so damn remarkable. Admittedly, it's when the goofiness is toned down a bit that Adeny really shows his skills, but it would be a shame to hold a little bit of humour against him. Blatantly tongue-in-cheek, powerfully clever and eclectically delivered, this is a record well worth investigating for those entertained by things truly odd.