Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts

Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts, Let's Just Be (Lonely Astronaut Records). Either Arthur has just discovered hallucinogens or he's found a non-pharmaceutical way of temporarily losing his mind. Let's Just Be is easily his most unhinged disc -- a thoroughly enjoyable retro freakout replete with glittery glam ("Diamond Ring," "Cockteeze"), bizarre novelties ("Shake It Off") and schizoid opuses (the twenty-minute-plus "Lonely Astronaut"). I'll have what he's having. -- Michael Roberts