The Arkins and Friends
City of Boxes
Lourdes Arkin
Well-crafted old school jazz swing that brings to mind early Chet Baker and the Andrews Sisters. Then a shift into strange, off-kilter, demented, minimalistic Squirrel Nut Zippers that is so out of key it almost hurts, but at the same time it’s fascinating, like the Residents doing old jazz standards. Then they fall into a version of “Downtown” that sounds like it was played for the kids on Sesame Street, and I’m just getting confused. A bit of lounge slipped in, snapping your fingers and winking at the ladies. Oh yeah. Bebop beatnik strangeness down at the night light late night hotel bar.