Falling Off the Lavender Bridge (CD)

Stunning 2008 debut album from London based Dev Hynes, AKA Lightspeed Champion. Recorded in Omaha by Saddle Creek's resident producer, Mike Mogis, the album is a semi-acoustic Country-Rock Folk-Pop gem that bathes in Americana. Layered with ambitious instrumentation, from strings, to cello, oboe, pedal steel, clarinet and flute, it's a gentler more contemplative sound; light years away from the Noise-Punk Metal of Dev's previous act, Test Icicles. Backed by an informal band of multi-instrumentalists Nate Walcott and Mike Mogis, the Faint's drummer Clark Baechle, and guest vocalist Emmy the Great - plus moonlighting members of Cursive and Tilly And the Wall - Dev was able to furnish his gently humorous, open-hearted songs with an unaffected warmth. Domino.