Infinite Shuffle

The only thing you really need to know about The Orbans and their recently released full-length album, When We Were Wild, is that I actually purchased it via iTunes. I’ll repeat that — I didn’t find some site to download it; I actually went ahead and forked over $10 to obtain it.

Now, admittedly, I couldn’t easily find anywhere to download it — as I do with the vast majority of my music collection — but normally I would just wait it out and download it at some point down the road.

But from the few songs I heard on their MySpace page and elsewhere, I knew that the album was a wise investment.

Although it doesn’t seem to be very well-known outside of its native Texas, this five-piece from Fort Worth clearly has the chops to compete with such alt-country gods as Wilco and Ryan Adams.

It’s almost shameful that I never would’ve heard of The Orbans had it not been for their amazingly beautiful track, “Like a Liar”, being promoted on NPR’s Song of the Day a couple of months ago.

There’s no reason that song shouldn’t be getting a ton of airplay right now on stations across the country.

In fact, this 12-track album has several gems that could easily find a home on the airwaves. The very solid opener, “New Dress”, has a kinda Killers/Band of Horses feel to it. You can hear it on their MySpace page or check out this acoustic version.

Other highlights include “Were Her”, “Mother” and the title track.

For the most part, The Orbans’ music would be classified as alt-country, but they clearly aren’t bound by labels. They mix in indie rock and even a little pop throughout the album.

The closing track, “Go”, is one of several slower songs, and it totally reminded me of seeing Son Volt live at a botanical garden a few years ago.

If you dig their sound, which you will, buy the album online and you’ll get a bonus track, “Cover Your Ears”.

Also of note, according to the iTunes review, “under an earlier moniker, Lifters, the band released the also impressive Switchblade Waterpistol in 2007.”