“More Strange News from Another Star” James Wallace & the Naked Light
Quirky, often experimental, really nice indie folk-rock with psych, jazz, blues, and gospel influences. Story-telling style of vocals that at its quirkiest, might take a little getting used to for a traditional folk listener — but should be perfect for our audience! Multiple instruments — from guitar, bass and organ to clarinet and brass, with a really interesting use of rhythms. While it’s hard to pick an artist to compare the band to, there are times you might hear a less-polished Paul Simon, the Grateful Dead or even Edward Sharpe. The project — Wallace’s second album — was originally intended to be released on cassette by an obscure Chinese label, which went belly-up before the album was finished. It was finally released by a U.S. indie label.
— Francis

Recommended: 4, 7, 2, 3, 5 No FCCs detected.

1. (0:35) This Wind’s Too Cold – Brief intro. Starts with a bell. Street sounds and voices — with toy piano tying it all together.
2. (4:42) Colored Lights – Fun! Quirky. Syncopated rhythm with handclaps, cowbell, brass, and other instruments. Catchy melody with otherworldly, high, nasally vocals. Really grows on you! ****
3. (3:45) Worse Things Have Happened – Starts a cappella. Becomes an indie folk-rock-pop song backed by fingerpicked guitar, which builds over time — adding drums and brass. Mix of traditional and experimental. Nice harmonies. Sax in lead break. Squiggles and spacey synths throughout. ***
4. (3:06) To the River – Intimate love ballad with softly spoken/sung vocals over delicate fingerpicked guitar. Amazing video too! ****
5. (4:58) He’d Like to Hear It Once Again – Another bouncy, fun melody. Folk flavor, but incorporates multiple instruments and complex rhythms. Earnest — if high — lead vocals with delicate female backup vocals. ***
6. (2:46) 4th Dimension or Living in Colorado – No lead vocals. Guitar, banjo, piano, glockenspiel, whistling. Simple sticks for rhythm. Some background vocals.
7. (4:21) The Wire (Reprise)/Kicked Down the Road – Strummy. Mid- to up-tempo. Male lead vocals with gospel-type singers in the background at the start. Tempo shifts 45 seconds in. Layers are added and the song builds to a loud, jammy ending. ****
8. (1:12) Everything Past Mars – Narration with simple drums underneath.
9. (4:49) The Coming (Shark’s Song) – Jazzy-bluesy. Male/female vocals open. Then, moves into a tune with jazzy stylings throughout. A variety of instruments and sounds, from bells to a saxophone. Narration added near end.
10. (3:46) Chopping Block – Country-folk flavor. Fiddle. Picked banjo. Slow shuffle about a hospital patient waiting for his time to die.
11. (1:12) Untitled (Hidden Track) – A coda. All instrumental. Like the end of the movie, with credits running until trail-out.