See a band name and album title like The Pestilence Is Coming by the Minor Leagues, and the first thing that comes to mind is “Please, no, not more screamo kids,” right? That’s what makes this debut album such a pleasant surprise. Featuring a conceptual and musical reach last seen in indie pop during the heyday of the Elephant 6 bands back in the ’90s, The Pestilence Is Coming is a rather glorious chamber pop epic, featuring a total of 42 musicians and singers (including the four bandmembers) working together on a loosely structured concept album that faces the end of the world with a cheerful brand of lightly psychedelic indie pop. Structured like an old-fashioned double album, with each set of songs marked with side designations, The Pestilence Is Coming flows beautifully, with sprightly pop/rockers like “Expatriates” segueing into moodier dream pop explorations like “Social Club” through expertly deployed musical interludes and found-sound tape-loop freakouts. The songs are unfailingly melodic, and the arrangements varied enough to keep the listener’s interest through the album’s extended running time. Fans of everyone from Beulah through the High Llamas and Polyphonic Spree to the Flaming Lips will find a lot to love here. – Stewart Mason