Something I've come to pay attention to in music over the last few years is the idea of "arrangement." A good arranger can choose the right instruments and deploy them in a harmonically rich combination to dress up even the lamest melody, making something fresh and beautiful in the process. In classic pop, from Tin Pan Alley forward, arrangement and the voicing of the instruments can mark the difference between a forgotten record and one that gets on heavy rotation in perfect pop heaven. At one time something of a lost art, arranging has enjoyed a renaissance of late with renewed interest in vintage Brazilian pop, Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, and others unafraid to sweat the details of how complex music is assembled. Jim O'Rourke, Robert Schneider and Sean O'Hagan are three contemporary masters of arrangement plying their craft in the world of indie rock.

To those names I would also add Ladybug Transistor leader Gary Olson. On The Algemarle Sound he uses the time- worn elements of piano, guitar, bass, drums, violin, cello, saxophones, flutes, trumpets and organs to conjure the more mainstream, less trippy side of breezy '60s music. Admittedly, this record is shamelessly derivative, right down to the "Blue Moon" chord changes of "Oceans in the Hall" (which, if it had a reggae beat, could be the new millenium's "The Tide is High"). And some will instinctively view this shoulder- glancing with contempt in the age where "new" and "different" are supposed to be synonymous with "good." But they would be missing out on some incredibly fun music.

The first thing I love about this album is that it's 12 songs and 35 minutes, short and sweet like they used to rock 'em before CDs overwhelmed us with "value." I'll bet the Ladybugs had 20 songs to start with and chose the best dozen, because all of these (save the inexplicably terrible closer "Aleida's Theme") are wonderful. The sound is orchestrated, lush, piano- based pop that wraps all manner of instrumentation around the catchy melodies like a thick down comforter. And wending through it all is Gary Olson's appealing voice which sounds, I swear, like the Human League's Philip Oakey. It's cool, restrained, deep and pretty, without range but with just the right amount of clarity for these songs. And like every element here, it sounds like it's been laid in the perfect place. Those who yearn for a slightly more sophisticated and restrained version of that '60s- channeling Elephant 6 vibe should promptly tune in to the Ladybug Transistor.

-Mark Richard-San