Palace and Stage

Personnel: Kyle Divine (vocals, guitar, ukulele); Edson Choi (vocals, guitar, vibraphone); Andrea Babinski (vocals, violin); Dustin Apodaca (vocals, keyboards, bells); Luis Beza (trumpet); Eric Chirco (marimba, drums).
Audio Mixers: Ryan Mall; Ted Hutt.
Recording information: Kingsize Soundlabs, Eagle Rock, CA; Mad Dog Studios, Burbank, CA.
This California sextet is about as uncategorizable as it gets. Though they've toured with eclectic punk acts like Gogol Bordello and Flogging Molly, there's a soulfulness to songs like "Fire In The Sky" and "Davidians" (about David Koresh's notorious cult) that steers close to the poignant alt-country of a band like the Jayhawks. PALACE gets a special lift when Andrea Babinski's vocals take center stage, especially on the rich ballad "So Low." And while a bit unfocused, Dusty Rhodes' third album is a beguiling tapestry of classic American influences.