As a late summer thunderstorm is beginning outside my window, I can’t help but make the comparison between the damp, grey atmosphere and the subtle, rambling tones of Brookhaven’s When the Chorus Walks.

There is a moodiness to When the Chorus Walks that is broody and contemplative. This is a theme that is echoed throughout with a dial tone-like consistency, obvious from the first set of repetitive notes. The songs are seasoned just right with the effects of guitar-based instrumentals which are placed over a quiet, consistent rhythm that can only be described as delicious.

The album, which is only seven tracks long, is still well over 35 minutes in its entirety. It is an ideal soundtrack for which to nod off into one’s own mind. The swirling, kaleidoscope of sound entices the imagination like a fairy tale. Brookhaven is the solo endeavor of Sonny James, When the Chorus Walks being the second album release by the group (following 2005’s Transitive Verses). This sophomore effort displays a cleaner collage of melancholic ambiance, more practiced, perhaps. Regardless, When the Chorus Walks is just the vehicle for a stormy weather “mellow out” session.

(Expel Records, PO Box 12353, Oakland, CA 94604)