Littles Paia

There isn't a song on Dew on the Needles that doesn't incorporate an unexpected twist or pleasant surprise. Songs will start out one way, set a nice groove, then take a hard left into weird territory; fairly straightforward tunes will suddenly give way to an extended sample of a woman talking about relationships. There are plenty of rough edges on this disc, but they in no way obscure the spark of genius that drives the entire album. With an impressive supporting cast that includes Chris Adolf and Joe Sampson, Littles Paia has produced something special: ten tracks of beautifully fractured folk rock swathed in a dusty, fly-specked steam-punk electro aesthetic that's both intimate and alien, warm and weird, and ultimately wonderful.