Bosnian Rainbows

With Bosnian Rainbows, vocalist Teri Gender Bender is a long way from the garage grind of her band Le Butcherettes—but guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez isn't too far from the proggy vibe that threaded together much of his previous band, The Mars Volta. Yet where that band was lean, Bosnian Rainbows' music is lush. The tones are colored in vibrant psychedelic hues, but the clean production and shifting time signatures keep this work anchored in the prog-rock realm. That said, crisp synths and discernable lyrics add a punchy new wave flavor too. Bender’s vocals and occasional arrangements (“Dig Right in Me,” “I Cry for You,” “Morning Sickness”) recall Siouxsie & The Banshees. But an odd thing happens when Bender’s voice reaches a certain pitch wrapped in a particular polish: Terri Nunn of the band Berlin comes to mind, and the possibility of a commercial crossover starts to soften the more interesting edges. You can almost envision “Torn Maps” on the radio (both in 1984 and now). Bosnian Rainbows may be a tad discombobulating, but it’s also crazily satisfying.