Violeta Violeta, Vol. 1 in Bloomington, MN

For their seventh studio album, the oil barrel-loving, gas mask-wearing, gypsy/art-rock provocateurs chose to abandon the Norwegian gangster story line that formed the arc of previous releases like
Ompa Til du Dor
,
Evig Pint
, and
Maestro
, and replace it with an entirely new subtext that involves a psychotic mother's search for her daughter (Violeta) who was kidnapped by her father, all of whom embark on a twisted, Alice in Wonderland-style adventure that's meant to span three albums. The first installment,
Violeta, Violeta
, finds the band in complete control of their unique vision, something that was lacking in 2008's decent yet directionless
Maskineri
. The
Tom Waits
-inspired, Balkan rock foundation that the group has maintained over the years is still here, but it's less prevalent this time around. Stand-out cuts like the tarantella/hip-hop onslaught "En for Orgelet, En for Meg," the gorgeous "Philemon Arthur & the Dung," which sounds like a mash-up of
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
' "I Put a Spell on You" and the orchestral mid-section of
Radiohead'
s "Paranoid Android," the wistful, radio-ready "Hjerteknuser," and the nervy, retro-pop cacophony of "Din Kjole Lukter Bensin, Mor" and closer "Sju Botter Tarer Er Nok, Beatrice" -- both of which sound like modern, hi-fi
Os Mutantes
cuts -- all arrive fully loaded yet perfectly seasoned, dutifully presenting the new mythology with sinister elegance and typical
Kaizers
precision. ~ James Christopher Monger