NO ONE'S WORDS

The album postmarked with the odd moniker refers to an Israeli artist who mixes the sounds of Kino and OSI. From its abstract photography to its ultramodern pop, I was certain Kevin Moore or John Mitchell would be found fiddling under its roof. My first surprise was that they were not accomplices or clerks. The second revelation rendered me speechless and had to do with the temps they've employed. Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation), Petronella Nettermalm (Paatos), and Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) are covertly working these operations on a part-time basis.

While they're sometimes hard to identify, they're contributions are no small matter nonetheless. For instance, Nettermalm does her unusual Björk impression and Trip-rock on "Haze". She's easily the guest who sways the union most in her direction, because the song's trademark recipe suspiciously features her unforgettably saucy staccato. After that, "Blocked" is probably the best of the ancillaries due to its accessible beat. Fans of Dream Theater will want to claim squatter's rights on this track.

Now that I have the list of co-conspirators, Gildenlow is discovered in due course doing his poetic yodeling in "The Sum of Damage Done (Silhouettes I-V)". Don't let the title fool you: The five corners of this franchise are built in nine minutes and thirty-six seconds flat. And if there were a deal to use your coupon on, the last enterprising anthem branded "Real" doubles in length and it's twice as good. As if it were a happy meal, this fun prize is found beneath the fast food. Unlike bloated blurbs that came before, chewy acoustics and sinewy synths give this whopper of a patty its scrumptiousness.

All in all, this enigmatic album is a blend of something borrowed, something new. The stolen goods will demand the highest rate of return whereas its novel perks will only be seen as nice gestures. Sometimes less is more, and it would have been better to release the last song as an EP rather than deep-fry the climactic cut in a batter of trans-fat.

In this cutthroat business, it's hard to tell how well vanilla will sell. Still, some people prefer their soft serve plain without the toppings while others take their music in predictable waves and forgo the twist. Throwing the packaging and fluff contents aside, they have potential and can surely build their venture on what's left.