The disc starts with the currently organic sound of a disposable camera being rewinded. Direct references to "Omaha" are welcomed and ironic in a sense. The second track ushers in sounds of a funky Fugazi, eccentric, yet able to get your feet a movin. In the interest of remaining succint, I will say that this album is essential for any individual intrigued by time signature changes and a flourishing of distinct styles of music. Go out and get this today would ya?

Depending on where you put the (metaphorical) needle down, this Portland-based band's second CD can sound like experimental Radiohead-leaning post-rock, brassy Latin pop or coolly reflective fusion jazz. It often happens within a single song, as on "Confidence", where Yorke-ish alienation gives way to Spanish horns right out of a Calexico CD. And surprisingly, it works. You're never bored. You're never confused. Kieskagato got its name by combining the Russian and Spanish words for cat, so it's no surprise that the band slaps disparate sounds -- jazz, rock, soul and Latin -- together in a calico blend of styles. However, there's an underlying thread of commonality in Josh Vasby's quavery vocals, in Dave Jorgensen's glowing Fender Rhodes and trumpet, in the light and shimmery drumming from Bryan Fairfield. Jorgensen, a jazzman before he joined the band in 2001, lends authority to their forays into progressive rock and jazz. There's never a sense that the band is reaching -- only that it is continually exploring and pushing. Highlights here include the expansively moody "Omaha", lit from within by keyboards and given angsty spine with its repeating guitar line, the complex "Confidence", and the all-instrumental, jazz-like "White Castle". "Muevete Como A Noche" feels less interesting at first, a little too standard-issue grunge in the melody, but is redeemed by a clean and anxious drum line and keening keyboards. No such luck for "See You at the Meeting", a self-consciously upbeat track that can't escape its pop ordinariness. On the whole, though, this is excellent genre-bending stuff from a band that's not afraid to mix things up.

Making good music doesn't always mean having to reinvent the wheel; sometimes, it's just a matter of rotating the tires. Art has always been influenced by something that has come before it and truly inspired work doesn't simply replicate its predecessors but tweaks them into something fresh and new. Portland's Kieskagato (a name compounded from the Russian and Spanish words for cat) originally formed in Madison, Wisconsin under the name Room 101. After moving to the Rose City in hopes of expanding its art, the band added a variety of different influences and transformed them into something that is both immediately familiar and uncommonly fantastic. The fruit of their most recent laboring, You, Are The One, Who Can is an indie rock record that flows smoothly from the sounds of serenity into just enough agitation to keep the listener in captivity. Nothing here is exactly what would be called traditional and, yet, it's difficult to describe exactly what it is about the album that makes it so unique. Often, it feels more like a jam album because of it only slight emphasis on repeated riffs but, at the same time, it maintains the distinct objectivity of an alternative album. Trumpets, which are usually reserved for the upbeat, dancy feel of ska, make subtle appearances which compliment rather than command the music. Guitars and organs often combine forces to create a sound that seems greater than the sum of its parts in number, if not overall volume. Overall the laid back but confident, unified feel to the album isn't necessarily anything groundbreaking, but still it maintains an original creativity from start to finish. Incidentally, what is most familiar on the album also turns out to be its biggest asset. Josh Vasby's vocal style is precisely what Radiohead's Thom Yorke would sound like if he decided to quit dabbling in experimental music. Melodic and slightly melancholy, Vasby's voice is the perfect ambassador of a typically rainy Portland afternoon. It's difficult to tell the extent of his range, as he tends to stay in his comfort zone. This is never out of the band's style and he succeeds admirably but the listener could be left wondering what else could be squeezed from his lungs. Words like promising and satisfying linger after listening to this album. While you might be hard pressed to call this one of the year's best, it immediately demands a second listen and could easily be at the forefront of Portland's ever growing independent rock scene.

Rock bands with trumpets usually piss me off; they're like, "Oh, we're so unique, we've got a trumpet." Assholes. Much to my surprise, and thankfully so, Kieskagato is not one of those bands. These guys mix together elements of indie rock, jazz, funk, and Latin music, and somehow manage to pull it off successfully. It doesn't feel forced, like so many bands that try to blend seemingly disparate styles of music. There's a bit of a Radiohead vibe as well, as Josh Vasby's vocals are reminiscent of the 'head's Thom Yorke. Don't let the trumpet scare ya, this is good stuff.