Dark, Dark, Dark

From the title of their last EP, Bright, Bright, Bright, it's clear that the members of Dark, Dark, Dark have a sense of humor. However, the lyrical content of that disc is no laughing matter, as vocalist Nona Marie Invie sings party-stopping lines like "You always cared for me, but I pushed you in the dark." Recalling the quirky cadence of Regina Spektor with the tonal quality of Fiona Apple, Invie croons over muted percussion, vaudeville-era horns and an accordion that sounds like it's being plucked by a nomadic gypsy, slowly walking into the dark in some forgotten Slavic country. Although its instrumentation is rooted in another era, the band is clearly singing of heartbreak and anguish that is timeless and passed down through the years. The image of Invie abandoning her car and being sent out on her own, as she relates on "Wild Goose Chase," is compelling, heartbreaking and definitely far from humorous.