While bands ranging from Stereolab to Friends of Dean Martinez have cited the '50s sounds of Martin Denny and Juan Garcia Esquivel as influences, none have been as loyal to these lounge pioneers as Combustible Edison. In 1994, the group ushered in the Cocktail Nation with its debut album, I, Swinger. Brimming with exotica, torch ballads, spy jazz, and the versatile croon of lead vocalist Miss Lily Banquette, I, Swinger set the standard for the '90s lounge revival. Neither Four Rooms, the band's score for that crazy arthouse comedy flick, nor Schizophonic, their stiff sophomore effort, quite lived up to it.

But just when it seemed Combustible Edison had painted itself into a stylistic corner, the band has reemerged with The Impossible World, one of the strongest and most cohesive collections of lounge since their debut. This time around, the musicians are in top- notch form with solid songwriting and production throughout. The basic instrumentation of double bass, hi-fi organ, electrified guitar, trap drums and vibraharp is fleshed out with a barrage of '50s exotica and space-age sound effects, giving the album a warm and full spectrum of sound. On the majority of the album's 12 songs, Miss Lily Banquette eschews actual lyrics in favor of playful scat singing and ethereal "ooohs" and "ahhhs." Not every band can pull this off. Then again, not every band has a flaming alcoholic beverage to its credit.

The Impossible World is exotica with a '90s twist of irony. Whereas Martin Denny took his Cold War listeners on trips to the Orient and outer space, Combustible Edison transport our universe- weary ears to places like "Utopia," the "20th Century" and "The Garden of Earthly Delights." Perhaps the most noticeable improvement from their former sound is the added production and mixing by electronica artist Scanner, whose blips and beats add an expansive substructure to tunes like "Laura's Aura," "Hot and Bothered," and "Tickled to Death" (although you can ignore his ominous closing reprise of "Utopia").

Those who enjoyed I, Swinger should rest assured that The Impossible World is back on par with that debut without retreading the same territory. Those of you who think that lounge is a limited medium are probably victims of a market oversaturated with mediocre poseurs (all style, no substance). When the songwriting and instrumentation is imaginative and convincing, this genre can be as refreshing and innovative as the colorful drinks the music is meant to accompany. Hence, during a year in which bands like the Squirrel Nut Zippers and the Cardigans have failed to give new life to their kitschy sound, Combustible Edison has proven that a little bit of thought-- and a couple years of added production experience-- might make all the difference.

-Zach Hammerman

"Laura's Aura"

[Real Audio Stream]