Cabaret for the dementedly cynical generation.  Near the start of "Rewiring The Electric Forest", they are dangerously close to PanicAtTheDisco-style of pop-rock, but this seven-piece is far, FAR too smart to fall into that trap.  An impressive use of Big Band brass, quirky keyboards, and gypsy-whipped "fiddle" (ok, ok, violin) hit the brakes just before they fall into "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"-territory (>whew!<).

Clint Wilson provides the interestingly androgynous vocals for Darla Farmer.  Playing Master Of Ceremonies in this manic circus of sound, Wilson ushers along the creepily delightful songs that walk that strange country Tom Waits, YouSayParty!WeSayDie!, and Gogol Bordello inhabit, all the while sounding bizarrely like something between Emily Haines and Amanda Palmer.

"Rewiring The Electric Forest" is not short by any means at a 12-track listing, but it fairly flies by with its brand of eclectic trip-bop rock'n'roll.  Still, nine songs may have been a good place to cap it all off at (keep us wanting more, right?) as the spastic joy starts to wear thin by that point.  For those reasons only, Darla Farmer was denied the extra half-star in their relatively impressive rating score. 

But hey, it's only their debut (!), so there's nowhere left to go but up.


Track Listing:

1) The Quotient
2) History
3) Mechanical Thoughts
4) The Vigilant Mr. Lynch
5) The Strangler Fig
6) Dirty Keys
7) The Cow That Drank Too Much
8) Sweet Wires (Of Fire)
9) Tree On A Hill
10)   Big Accident
11)   Tommy Bones
12)   The Apology