Highway Collection

Ben Lovett, who has put his name to an extensive list of film scores (The Signal, The Last Lullaby), releases a debut album that is, no surprise, a magic production of intense carnivalesque bounce. The excited horn charts of “Heartattack,” the glam-rock intensity of “The Fear,” the soft-shoe gait of the country-influenced and noir-induced “Black Curtain” make for adventurous listening. These are carefully crafted with an expertise that borders on perfection. There’s a stunning Beatles vibe running through the blurring psychedelia of “Same Old Song” and a wonderfully heartbreaking truth to the acoustic-based “Like A Moving Train.” “Two Lovers” takes another leisurely walk through sonic terrain that is, not surprisingly, dark and cinematic. Ditto for “Eye Of the Storm,” a brilliant and haunting track that makes Lovett a must-have among collectors of chilling progressive pop. The list of contributors includes members of the Avett Brothers, the Mars Volta and Cursive, among the many.