Kyoto Beat Orchestra

At a time when Sacramento’s music scene is in a bit of a down cycle, Kyoto Beat Orchestra shows that there’s still some damn fine new music to be found around these parts. For a hint of what they deliver on this record, imagine a blend Billie Holiday, Portishead, Thelonious Monk and Jack Kerouac. Terra Lopez’s ethereally beautiful voice rests atop a foundation of Eric Isom’s inventive and textured music for an alluring concoction that draws you in and refuses to let go. Recorded excellently at the Hangar by the legendary Scott McChane, who co-produced the record with the band, Architecture finally delivers to Kyoto Beat’s many fans a full-length that does justice to the talent they display at live shows. Actually, that’s something to make any music fan’s heart beat faster.