In Advance of the Broken Arm

The next time I have a chance to see Marnie Stern, I'll be lucky—lucky—if I'm peering on my tip-toes around the lanky hipsters who hole up at the Black Cat. Just last week, she played to what I imagine was an intimate crowd at my favorite venue, the Warehouse (which can only really fit intimate crowds). A few days later, the District's own Chris Richards was singing Stern's praises; today the NYT's Kalefa Sanneh crowns her new album "the year's most exciting rock 'n' roll record" and, more to the point, says that a universe in which this record isn't a hit is not a good universe. Well, the universe might not be all bad after all: Pitchfork's Brandon Stosuy gives it a recommendation with caveats, a provisional thumbs-up, a lukewarm "yes, but . . ."—the surest sign so far that Stern's album lives up to the hype. If I may add to it, I haven't listened to anything but Marnie Stern all week. She nails Helium's drone (but livelier), Karen O's vocals (but tinnier), and Don Caballero's rhythms (but rawer).

Granted, In Advance of the Broken Arm has only been out now for a week. Maybe the chatter is premature, but I say, L.H.O.O.Q. out, folks—elle a chaud au album.