Musically, it seems like "Genre-defying" is fast becoming a genre in itself. So due to its hyper-hybridness, I suggest looking for the new Over the Rhine C.D. in the "downright-unnatural" section at Barnes and Noble.

They must have said to themselves: If we go country we'll lose half our fans, if we go hip-hop we'll lose the other half. So let's do both in a double CD (a little country on the first, some hip-hop on the second), and while our fans are trying to figure out "Wha-happened?", we'll amass brand new fans from country and hip-hop audiences.

The strategy worked, but no surprise there. Ever since this album, Over the Rhine been hitting musical and lyrical home-runs.