Vagrant

Four stars

Just the band name (and album title) exemplify the band’s askew slant on the clichéd and morbid. Landing somewhere amidst twang-free outlaw country and post-punk, this Bloomington band’s fourth release (and first on Vagrant) deals out murder and crime ballads in the style Old West cowboys might have played if they could have plugged in (and if they weren’t mythical in the first place). Adam Turla’s cracked baritone and Sarah Balliet’s strong cello spearhead simple and dynamic arrangements.

Sounds like: Nick Cave, Tom Waits, blood