Band of Horses: Infinite Arms

Label: Columbia

The new and third Band of Horses album is being jointly released by an odd trio of indie and major labels, but fans care about just one thing: those harmonies. Infinite Arms has them in spades, starting with the record's opener, "Factory," an otherwise mournful-seeming song to begin an album with. No matter -- its sweeping strings help set the stage for an album of widescreen emotions and twilight melodies. The next tune, "Compliments," opens with classic-sounding keyboards before Horseman Ben Bridwell opens up those full-bodied pipes of his -- Bridwell's voice and vocal arrangements essentially being the central principle of this group. Tempos change and emotions fluctuate, but that's the constant here, whether on the Shins-like "On My Way Back Home" or the campfire-drama of the title track: sublime vocals in copious quantities. (Bosco)