CAMPHOR
Drawn To Dust

In terms of inducing coma-like sleep, a fistful of Ambien and a warm bath have nothing on Camphor’s somnolent chamber pop. The brainchild of Max Avery Lichtenstein (better known for his soundtrack work for indie films Tarnation and The King), Camphor also includes a cast of characters from Mercury Rev and Beirut. Resumés aside, it’s clear after the first few minutes that Drawn To Dust is the product of accomplished players, but musical prowess doesn’t necessarily translate to an engaging listening experience. Moaning vocals, fussy orchestration and a dearth of hooks on the first half of the record brings to mind everything Badly Drawn Boy has done since The Hour Of Bewilderbeast (not a good thing, by the way). However, if you can stay conscious, there’s an EP’s worth of strong material near album’s end. Song eight, “Castaway,” is the first track to display momentum, with dueling acoustic and spaghetti-Western guitars and a mariachi horn.“So Lucky...” blends low-key sax and spy-movie guitar to smoky, simmering effect, while “Confidences Shattered” is positively jaunty thanks to waltz-like pacing. Lichtenstein and Co. are most successful when they aren’t trying so damn hard. [Friendly Fire, www.friendlyfirerecordings.com]

—Matt Ryan