WHAT STRANGE BEASTS

Starlight’s Castaways WHATSTRANGEBEASTS.BANDCAMP.COM Stellar second selection from this under-heard Seattle prog outfit. What Strange Beasts’ debut The Maestro’s Tale was a concept album brimming with catchy tunes, proggy textures and psychedelic interludes. The Seattle quartet double down on all this on their highly likeable follow-up. Tunes and hooks abound over Starlight’s Castaways’ 26 tracks, and there’s an unabashed, American élan to their trademark three-part vocal harmonies, flowing melodies and musical melodrama here. Typical are the exciting, driving title track, joyous and spacey Meteor Bath and the prog/new wave blast of Plasticbrain. Imperfect Vision’s quality piano arpeggios come from classically trained keyboardist Ben Ruby, and Cat Eddie’s guitar lines are both tasteful and blistering (Second Sight). As with their debut, the songs are interleaved with instrumental interludes. A Call To Lights,…