Dimmer

Like fellow Chicagoan by way of the United Kingdom Chris Connelly, Jim Elkington brought over his love of all things David Bowie and Scott Walker, discovered some new loves, and then let the Midwest have her way with them. As more or less the sole member of the Zincs — he plucks some of the fruitful city's finest apples for the occasional guest spot — Elkington has crafted an uplifting, despondent, and always atmospheric collection of elegant indie rock that never takes itself too seriously — opening with a tune called "Breathing in the Disease" wouldn't come off half as wry if the record didn't close with "The Meagre P***k." The musicianship is top-notch throughout, with gut-stringed guitars, distant keyboards, and treacle-drenched strings providing the backdrop for Elkington's rich and literate baritone. This is chamber pop fashioned from classic Britpop, but like contemporaries Eric Matthews, Richard Hawley, and the aforementioned Connelly, this expat knows how to keep it fresh. Whether he's rolling in the streets with "Beautiful Lawyers" or trying to keep a straight face while delivering the lyric "What doesn't kill me only makes my life longer" on a grim "Sunday Night," his disposition is one of pained contentment.