One Bedroom
A busy slate of side projects seems to have cast this vaunted Chicago "post-rock supergroup" (featuring refugees fromShrimp Boat, The Coctails, andTortoise) into occasional limbo--this is only their third album since 1997. But it's those very activities that arguably inspired the Sea and Cake to record this vibrant, often sublime collection. Colored by a seductive cocktail of influences that includes Brazilian jazz and arty kraut-rock textures, with singer-songwriterSam Prekop's breathy vocals a much less precious take onMichael Franks's, the 10 tracks onOne Bedroomare a masterly exercise in restraint, subtle sophistication, and melodic playfulness. Prekop's über-cool delivery takes center stage throughout, whether it's playing against jazzy, electronic-infused backdrops on standouts like the dreamy "Left Side Clouded," the nervous rhythms of "Hotel Tell," the breezy ambitions of "Shoulder Length," or the spare beauty of the title track. It's an album whose languorous jazz-pop dares defy deconstruction, and one that glides toward the future with a clean, well-defined sound several musical strata removed from its members' alt-rock roots.--Jerry McCulley