Before the arrival of
Mazarin's third full-length, 2005's
We're Already There, the group pulled a "
Def Leppard," as a whopping four-year gap ensued since their last effort (2001's
A Tall Tale Storyline). Here, they sound like younger siblings of
the Flaming Lips, due to
Quentin Stoltzfus' warbling falsetto vocals and psychedelic pop sensibilities. Several special guests stopped by in the studio, as
Don Devore of
the Icarus Line,
Kurt Heasley of
the Lilys, and
Walter Martin of
the Walkmen all lent a helping hand. The wait proved worth it, as
Stoltzfus has created probably the best
Mazarin album yet, as evidenced by the
Lips-meets-
Sonic Youth "I'm with You and Constellations," the peppy "For Energy Infinite," and the spacy "Another One Goes By." Since they now also take such a leisurely pace releasing albums like their idols, it leads you to wonder -- are
Mazarin really
Wayne Coyne and company in disguise?