Pixel Revolt (Reissue)

VINYL FORMAT. San Francisco singer/songwriter/producer John Vanderslice sticks to his anything-goes indie-pop sound on 2005's ambitious Pixel Revolt, a record that reportedly began as a concept album about the war in Iraq, but evolved into a much more personal project. As always, the plaintive-voiced Vanderslice employs unusual arrangements and a wide variety of instrumentation (including mellotron, Moog, glockenspiel, and an array of electronics), with the distinctive cello-playing of Erik Friedlander featured on a number of tracks. Although Vanderslice's reach can exceed his grasp, he's a fascinating performer who never fails to turn out intriguing work, and Pixel Revolt is no exception.