Dusty small towns and pickup trucks spring to mind when listening to Pinetop Seven’s second full-length, Rigging the Toplights, which is packed with stories of loss, desolation, and hard luck. Although there are clearly country influences at work, the album is much more difficult to categorize than that. Through their unique blend of musical styles, unusual instruments, and intricate lyrics, Pinetop Seven has created a haunting collection of dark, melancholy stories. Vocalist Darrin Richard takes on the role of the storyteller, using his voice as an instrument to convey the achy loneliness of each song. His vocal delivery perfectly complements each song’s unique acoustic instrumentation. The band uses all sorts of instruments to create their rich song moods, including accordion, rain stick, toy piano, clarinet, and upright bass. Every song is so carefully composed that each note flows perfectly into the next. The effect is an extremely polished and complex but sincere album. And somehow, through all the sadness, Pinetop Seven manages to communicate a vague feeling of hope. – Tracy Frey