Wild Moccasins - Eighty-Eight Ninety-Two (2014)

While the title of this album suggests a four year timeframe (which I'd normally associate with a set of high school or college years), it's not. It's now a very unsecure password (real or fictional) for a floor at some unnamed psychiatric institution. At least that's what the lyric sheet indicates.

This was awful in the car, but in the headphones made much more sense. By the time you hit "Emergency Broadcast," it's pretty clear that the band is after a lush, harmonized pop sound that is tightly produced with plenty of improvisational elements to keep things interesting. Ultimately I'd call it "smart pop rock," which is fine by me. (And if any of those three words scare you, you're reading the wrong blog.)

Wild Moccasins - "Gag Reflections"

This is a perfect example of an excellent album that doesn't work in all listening settings. So listen to it and, if first it doesn't make sense, try it somewhere else.

CD Placement Rating:  Car iPod. (Although clearly I won't play it in the car.)

- Snilch