The Old Ceremony - Our One Mistake

The Old Ceremony is an arsenal of Chapel Hill, NC-based musicians who muster ferociously tight early-world melodies on their second album, Our One Mistake. In what can best be described as Ben Fold Five-meets-Decemberists dramatic pop, they’re showmen of the truest kind. With influences that can be traced to Motown, Leonard Cohen, and Randy Newman, as well as the grandeur of Sinatra and the cabaret of Tom Waits, The Old Ceremony’s sound is difficult to nail down. The record is propelled by a romantic combination of keys, marimba, vibes, and strings, while the attack is lead by guitarist/vocalist Django Haskins, a Yale grad whose literate lyrics tell gloomy sagas taking the listener to an exotic time and place. From the rollicking piano ballad, “Papers in Order,” to the funky soul of “Radio Religion,” to the Mandarin Chinese of “Bao Qian,” this is one worthwhile excursion. [www.theoldceremony.com]