A far cry from the surreal, wiseguy humor of Camper Van Beethoven, Victor Krummenacher’s solo debut Out in the Heat is instead a serious and often poignant exploration of life as an openly gay man. Quiet and vaguely rootsy, the album is a showcase for Krummacher’s skills as a songwriter — whether adapting the writings of author David Wojnarowicz in “New Mexico” or capturing the life of an aging spinster in “The Antebellum,” his songs are nakedly emotional and starkly beautiful. – Jason Ankeny