With 40 minutes of dreamy but spot-on vocals, militantly weird instrumentation, off-beat chord progressions and often incomprehensible lyrics, Clark’s album harks back to her days as a member of the Polyphonic Spree, Dallas’s premier psychedelic choral symphonic rock band. This doesn’t necessarily mean, though, that her work shares the Spree’s psychedelic, heavily-orchestrated leanings. "Actor," though hit-and-miss in its execution, shines in moments as an eclectic pop gem by this thoroughly unique singer-songwriter.

Beginning with the album’s opener, “The Strangers,” Clark’s voice dips and soars over flutes, a double bass, her own skilled guitar and piano accompaniment (the one constant throughout the album, it positively sparkles) and variously a melodica, and birdsong. It keeps right on going through “Actor Out of Work,” possibly the best and definitely the catchiest cut off the record. 

At times, certainly, the noise gets to be too much;: most of the tracks left me wondering, on first listen, if the whole lo-fi thing was actually necessary. "Actor Out of Work” is the only track where Clark’s heavy use of guitar feedback and and vocal reverb reverb mesh well; some of the prettiest-sounding songs on the album, like “Black Rainbow,” stick to piano and woodwinds – and draw real beauty from their minimal instrumentation. 

"Actor" is out May 5 on Beggars Banquet; watch the music video for “Actor Out of Work” on YouTube or at stereogum.com. It’s great. 

The Urban Legend gave a positive review in February to "The Exited Door," the début solo album by Urban’s Lab Band director and general musical wizard Kirk Hamilton. Accompanying Kirk will be singer Lindsay Garfield (of SF band Or, The Whale, headlining the Independent on June 5) and guitarist and singer Dan Nervo, both featured on "Door," along with “other special guests.” You should go.

Wilco's latest album, the cleverly titled "Wilco (The Album)," returns to the "studio-crafted soundscapes" of their more experimental releases "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born," but this doesn't mean it's inaccessible. Though due out on June 28, the album is streaming freely on band site wilcoworld.net. There, you can hear the instant classic "You & I," Jeff Tweedy's duet with indie darling Feist, among other songs. Though she won't be making an appearance (to our knowledge) at their upcoming Berkeley show, this show is still an opportunity to see a phenomenal band at its peak.

One free, high-quality song delivered straight to your iTunes, every day. If you have four minutes of free time every day, you could do a lot worse than spending it on these songs: KEXP’s selection of music is arguably the best of any radio station in the country, up there with WFMU in New York and Santa Monica’s KCRW. Their 24-hour online feed is convenient if you’re not in Seattle, and you can sign up for the podcast at kexp.org.

TSYA’s website greets you with a banner asking you to “Join the Darkish Teal Ribbon Campaign to Raise Maximum Fun Awareness.” This isn’t your parents’ public radio: host Jesse Thorn is just two years out of UC Santa Cruz, and his fast-paced, psychotically enthusiastic interview style has brought his show nationwide recognition. It’s not strictly music-related, but Thorn’s interesting choice of interviewees – among them, sex columnist Dan Savage, comedian Dana Gould, and cartoonist Scott McCloud – has earned the show a sizeable following. Local station KALW 91.7 carries the show, but every episode is also available free at maximumfun.org.

Every track on this album is better than the last song you listened to.  This is going to be a country-pop-folk-whatever classic. People our age will be listening to this album when they’ve gone gray and arthritic and can’t walk to the corner store without dislocating a hip. Really. The lead single, “People Gotta Lot of Nerve,” is matched in delightfulness only by the accompanying hand-animated music video. See it at the artist's website, nekocase.com.