I like this album, probably a little bit more than I should. In my opinion, Yellow Ostrich is not reinventing the wheel, or charting unknown musical territory. What they are doing is indie pop rock, and they are doing it very, very well. Strange Lands is consistent throughout and never diverges very far from the quirky groove it carves out for itself. The opening song is so promising. “Elephant King” uses catchy seemingly nonsensical lyrics, quick rhythms, along with a couple horns thrown in on the side to create a fun and contagious sound. The horns, simple lyrics and quick pace continue throughout the album, and even at slow points it doesn’t stay so slow for very long. Lead singer Alex Schaaf’s voice is shrill at points, and certain in its uncertainty. His songwriting seems to follow suit, as in the second song off the album, “Daughter”: “I am a marathon runner / And my legs are sore / I am anxious to see / What I am running for.” This is the stuff lil’ hipster babies are fed off of. (Barsuk, barsuk.com) Victoria King