Omega La La

iTunes Review

Though they’ve dropped “Orchestra” from their name, Rubblebucket still approach their music with a certain formal elegance, contrasting with the childlike, sometimes loopy quality of their lyrics. The sextet’s sophomore album Omega La La is a sweet, multi-layered sonic parfait filled with swirling keyboards, snappy guitars and twinkling synths. Horns are especially crucial, adding a jazzy interplay to “Down In the Yards” and a hint of ska to “Came Out of a Lady.” Lead singer Kalmia Traver projects a wide-eyed innocence in tracks like “Triangular Daisies” and “Silly Fathers,” though “Pile of Rage” finds her capturing a mature sense of romantic loss. Omega La La’s gentle, smile-inducing tone invites comparisons with everyone from the Pastels to Tenniscoats and LAKE. A benign spirit lights up “Rescue Ranger,” “Raining” and similar tunes even when the imagery takes a moody turn. On the francophonic “L’Homme,” the band bounces and billows into an international dreamland. At once playful and ambitious, Omega La La is an indie-pop delight.