Quirky country, sensual lounge music, call it what you will: Tippy Canoe & The Paddlemen's Parasols & Pekingese is an alternative to popular country acts and a challenger to alternative sensations such as Neko Case. A Baltimore native, Tippy Canoe just rounded out an east coast run with her band, which adopts a local moniker, The Baltimore Paddlemen, when in the area.

On this debut full-length, Canoe's voice can be sultry, forgivably flawed, and acrobatic as she plucks her trademark ukelele and fosters a new breed of early 20th century jazz/50s pop for the modern age. Now residing in Oakland, CA, Tippy has taken Baltimore's hip mid-century panache to the west coast. Calling it retro is too easy, you won't notice the ukelele unless you really know the sound of your stringed instruments, and pigeonholing this brand new old style simply won't be done.

A charming, fun debut from a Charm City expatriate.  One wonders, is "Neighbor of the Telltale Heart" a veiled reference to another Baltimorean?

Visit Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen on Myspace to learn more and buy the album.

Tags: Album Reviews, tippy canoe and the paddlemen