(Fake Four)

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These days, at least one release in four seems to be circled by big, bright balloons about its unique, earthshaking qualities. Willing listeners are barraged by epic levels of promotional hyperbole. In all that din, what happens to extraordinary artists, especially those who elude established or just buzz-heavy genres? That's part of the dilemma Ceschi Ramos projects in his thematic oeuvre, The One Man Band Broke Up. It would be a shame if the projection came true, for this new release is special in several ways. The first that comes across is the obvious thought devoted by Ramos and producer DJ Scientist to its effect on the listener.

While a fair amount of space has been devoted to the groundbreaking nature of Ceschi's hip hop/Indie//psychedelic innovation, more-or-less similar mergings (albeit not always beat box-evocative) have been produced by Mice Parade, Kottarashky, Beck, Arrested Development, and P.M. Dawn. Still, this is a road relatively less taken. And, as with P.M. Dawn, anyone fearing an exhausting audio onslaught can breathe easy: Ramos and Scientist splice restraint, quiet and trippy interludes, and acoustic textures into harder-hitting material. Most bright balloon-worthy of all: The skill with which a trove of stylistic byways is sewn into a cohesive, convincing whole.

Ceschi is as much about creative composition as mix-mastery. A good example is provided by the dreamy falsetto, iconic subjects, and deceptive simplicity of "Bridge," which evokes some of the brilliance of both Gary Wilson and Van Dyke Parks. The well-crafted "Lament for Captain Julius" is similarly effective. Pretty guitar bubbles, slam-worthy lyrics, and tight beats comingle on "Bad Jokes." Swallowed Salt" is a disarming, 58-second pastiche of harmonica and spoken word circled by singing. As for straight-up, on-a-mission word play, Ceschi delivers; most notably on the title song, "Fallen Famous," and "Julius' Final Song."

The bottom line: This easy 2010 standout could be recommended to anyone, excepting listeners who bar any hip hop from permeating their armor. How often can you make either of those pronouncements? How often can you say, You really have to check this out?

DOWNLOAD: "Lament for Captain Julius," "Fallen Famous," "Bridge," Bad Jokes" MARY LEARY