Brightblack Morning Light

Brightblack Morning Light actually sees itself as some kind of rural commune. Its core members sport robes 'n' beads, call a teepee in the NorCal woods home, and claim to steer clear of "city babylons." But there's nothing at all hippie, trippy, or tribal 'bout the group's sophomore effort. With the phantom, airylike Chet Baker harmonies of Rachael Hughes and Nathan Shineywater (plus two Black soul singers) languidly drifting above the muted drone of Hughes' Rhodes piano, Shineywater's skeletal ax work, and Magic Andy Macleod's rippling percussion, their 10-track collection of hushed, slow-drip gospel funk is the perfect prescription—I mean soundtrack—to skinny white boys lining their veins with gold at 3 a.m. Of course I'm not saying these dudes are junked out; I don't know 'em. But these totally phased-out meditations are as coolly stoned-spiritual as Spacemen 3's "Walkin' With Jesus," Obscured by Clouds-era Pink Floyd, and—believe it or not—Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight," which means these are some sweet fuckin' jams.