Rating: NNNN
Sort of the Chicago version of Broken Social Scene, the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir are a indie rock ensemble with more than 20 come-and-go members. Their Kevin Drew is a guy named Elia Einhorn, and his tightly packed nine-song sophomore disc leans heavy on Belle & Sebastian, with bits of Jam and Squeeze, starting with the spirited upbeat proto-punk of Aspidistra, a nod to Einhorn’s shady drug-dealing past.
The lyrics are at times shockingly revealing in that enjoyable, Pinkerton kind of way, such as the queer-curious I Never Thought I Could Feel This Way For A Boy and This World Has No Place For Me, which explores his battles with mental illness. Ellen O’Hayer contributes vocally with a proper downcast tone, carefully maintaining the album’s winning balance between misery and glee.
