Mr. Lewis and the Funeral 5: Delirium Tremendous

Cabaret-style rock from Austin, Texas doth make a critic’s heart bound a little faster, especially when that rock outfit crosses the heaviness of Sleeptytime Gorilla Museum with the brass cajones of latter-day Tom Waits and throws in a dash of hokum-pokum as done so finely by Austin’s White Ghost Shivers and the sadly MIA Reverend Glasseye. Naturally, these lads offer a take that is fresh and free of immediate bonds to those outfits, so if you’re not a fan of those cats, you can be a fan of these. Highlights include “Gospel for the Gutter”, “March of the Giant Queue”, and the titular piece. If there’s a major criticism to be had it’s that the group might be wise to find a little more variety within its own brand –– a little sonic variation goes a long, long way. Still, you won’t soon forget Delirium Tremendous, and I bet these dudes put on one hell of a live show.