Dirty Projectors on NPR

Further on the free music tip. NPR is streaming the new album from Dirty Projectors titled Bitte Orca. This is some good stuff. Their sound is innovative and compelling and while experimental, employs a wide array of musical styles.  On the surface the sound is similar to other experimental rock bands that are in vogue these days such as Animal Collective and Fleet Foxes, with their emphasis on lush vocal harmonies over quirky unusual backing. But their influences run deep. There is definitely a debt owed to Sonic Youth and the vocal style of band leader Dave Longstreth at times evokes Jeff Buckley. There is also the (very fruitful) relationship with David Byrne on Dark Was the Night and Byrne may have had some influence.  Possibly the catchy "Stillness is the Move", with its Disco-y vocal over a musical backing that sounds straight out of Sub-Saharan Africa. But they've taken all of these diverse elements and melded them into a cohesive whole that as a result explores completely new territory. One of the best albums this year.