The Zoo Outside the Zoo

It's been a long time coming, but Friendly Psychics Music principal and in-house producer Dan Miller has finally released his first project under the name Derecho. If you can guess what the name means, you get a gold star and ride on the missile-equipped weather balloon.

"Dropped at 10,000 Feet" bears some resemblance to other FPM releases -- think burning slabs of guitar and bass, crisp percussion, dark Midwestern imagery -- but moves in a different direction with Miller's layered production and unique melodies.

Pink Floyd, Flaming Lips, ELO and Tobin Sprout all form reference points, as does that empty bottle of Crown in the corner of the Germantown police station.