Lambchop Thriller (Merge) (star) (star) (star)
If Lambchop refused to be easily categorized before, then this disc tosses another, bigger wrench into the already mangled gears. “Thriller” finds Nashville’s weirdest country outfit moving their stylistic scope a few miles West to explore a bit of Memphis soul. As the purloined title of the album indicates, it’s difficult to discern just how much of Lambchop is parody and how much is sincere tribute; singer-songwriter Kurt Wagner’s deep voice is so goofy that the needle could really point in either direction. Regardless, the songs (three borrowed from East River Pipe) are gently off-kilter and undeniably pretty, incorporating some Stax-esque horn charts and lots of ringing, atmospheric percussion.
