The Albemarle Sound (CD - 1999)

Additional personnel: Claudia Chopek (violin); Michell Schifferele-Marzulli (cello); Paula Henderson (baritone saxophone); Joe Ben Plummer (saxophone).

Personnel: Gary Olson (vocals, trumpet); Jennifer Baron (guitar); Claudia Chopek (violin); Michelle Schifferele-Marzulli (cello); Sasha Bell (flute, piano, organ); Joe Ben Plummer (saxophone); Paula Henderson (baritone saxophone).

Recording information: Marlborough Farms.

Photographer: Erick Schonfeld.

Unknown Contributor Roles: San Fadyl; Jennifer Baron; Sasha Bell; Jeff Baron.

With The Albemarle Sound, Ladybug Transistor finally achieves the pop grandeur their earlier records promised -- from its lush arrangements and rich melodies right down to the perfectly retro cover art, the 1999 copyright date is the only telltale clue that the album wasn't actually released three decades earlier instead. As opposed to the like-minded bands of the Elephant 6 collective, whose similar nods in the direction of late-'60s popcraft butt heads with their concurrent desire to pursue more experimental paths, the Ladybugs aspire to exactly replicate the orchestral confections of obvious inspirations like Brian Wilson and Burt Bacharach; the baroque twists of songs like "Meadowport Arch" and "Today Knows" are realized with remarkable dexterity and flair, and even if it is occasionally off-putting to hear an album so completely out of touch with the times, The Albemarle Sound is so convincing and so affectionate that all reservations quickly disappear. ~ Jason Ankeny

By borrowing from the classic conceptual pop albums of the late sixties for their latest offering, Brooklyn's Ladybug Transistor have ended up crafting a late-20th century gem that will most certainly be remembered as one of 1999's most outstanding releases. With housemate Bill Wells helping out behind the boards, the backing tracks of THE ALBERMARLE SOUND could easily be mistaken for lost PET SOUNDS instrumentals. The variety of instruments, all utilized in a contained, precise manner, are so perfectly chosen that it's easy let the sounds slip past without truly appreciating each song's construction.

Horns, strings, and Jeffrey Baron's wide-ranging guitar work combine to create a lush, sprawling background for singer Gary Olson's double-layered, crooning vocals. The real star of this disc, however, is Sasha Bell, whose piano and keyboard work (not to mention harmonies) shifts with each tempo change and elevates the album to a new plateau. Not a conceptual record in the literal sense, the abundant lyrical references to various forms of water keeps the album loosely unified with a vocabulary of images. The result of this imagery, when combined with the soothing melodies and timeless production value, is an uplifting, hopeful record appropriate for any mood. minimize