Darko Rundek & Cargo Orkestar

An adventurous spirit is imperative to appreciate Darko Rundek, who trades in various musical influences with his international Cargo Orkestar. In this callaloo, there's cabaret and tango, rock and poetry, pseudo-klezmer and Eastern Europop, irony-a-go-go and even the occasional drop of sentiment. Rundek has a Tom Waits-like rasp and a mighty bass, though it plays more theatrically than anything else. (Not surprisingly Darko, who's Croatian, has a directing degree from a Parisian theater school.) There are echoes of John Cale and Leonard Cohen, and that's just the North Americans; others might hear Lo'Jo and Radio Tarifa. Standouts include the eerie "U-Bahn," the hilarious "Slick Senorita" and the charming title track. This is all about displacement, but without the drama of politics.

- Achy Obejas