Mountains and Tumult

Mountains sounds a lot like Cocteau Twins circa 1993's Four-Calendar Café, which makes sense when you notice that Robin Guthrie produced it. Guthrie, who really ought to be a Sir by now, was guitarist and mastermind of that celebrated cult band's (and Violet Indiana's) ethereal exquisiteness, as well as producer of the mysterious Lush, Chapterhouse, Felt, and others. In the classically beautiful Los Angelino Annie Barker, he clearly recognizes a kindred spirit to his ex, Cocteau siren Liz Fraser. A bountifully talented singer with lovely pipes that sound uncannily like her inspiration, Barker is excellent when whipping up that sphinx-like, layered-cloud-of-sound dream pop mystique that Guthrie's band birthed. She occasionally becomes too mannered, more analogous to so-so, more commercial Cocteau successors the Sundays and the Cranberries. But otherwise, like similarly sharp '90s Cocteau-heads Alison's Halo and Orange, the gleaming guitars, babbling bass, and processed voice prove splendiferous.