This celebrated Southern California band of slacker geniuses march to a drummer as unusual as they come. Best described as tripadelic alt/country--these Sparks owe more to the glowing embers of bands such as Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev than they do to Gram Parsons. Still it sounds as unmistakably American as Brian Wilson. BS vocalist Chris Gunst delivers these songs in a voice like a flickering match cupped from the wind in his trembling hands. At times these tracks lull you into a trance, but, like a crack of a whip, moments of brilliance prick your ears and glue you to your seat. Cowboy Robots is ultra mellow, and purposely easy on the ear, but it©ös daring spirit and poetry give it an immediacy--like a heavily sedated Eminem.