John Cale’s latest is a weird one. But then again, you’d expect nothing less from the man. From (primarily) acoustic based dancey numbers like album opener “I Wanna Talk 2 U,” to the fuzzy vibe of “Scotland Yard,” to bizarre experiments with autotune, Cale doesn’t let the listener become too comfortable in any one aural space. “Hemingway” is a beauty of a track about old Papa, with the refrain of “You’ve got a thousand-yard stare” repeating into the distance. “December Rains” is a cool number that gets stuck in my head. Not everything works here, but John Cale seems like the kind of artist who doesn’t really give a fuck; he’s just following the muse where it takes him. While certainly not my favourite album to cross my desk in recent months, it has a certain quality that sticks with you. Well worth a listen if experimentation within fairly rigid confines of the pop song are your thing, and probably worth at least one spin even if it isn’t. (Double Six Records, doublesixrecords.com) Sheldon Birnie