Tyne Darling

Milwaukee singer-songwriter Tom Vollman moved to a Manhattan walk-up apartment with a piano as one of its few furnishings. When the weather got miserable, out came these dirge-like songs for his band, Tyne Darling. You won't find a great supply of life's joys here, but with idiosyncratic instrumentation for his brand of Americana (including trumpet, multiple electric keyboards and e-bow), Vollman's downer becomes a grower. Even if you think subjects such as punk-rock girls, violence and debutants should be addressed with more pep, Vollman and his mates still make them compelling.