Sometimes bands make great albums against all possible odds. There's no telling why these albums are so great -- for some reason, they just are; how else would it be possible to explain the significance of Nevermind the Bollocks when Sid Vicious was barely able to play bass? Clearly, when it comes to great albums, many factors beyond mere musical talent are at work -- some serendipitous je ne sais quoi that pushes a record beyond mere competence. In many ways, The Acrobat is worthy of a French cliché or two -- but unlike anything by The Sex Pistols, it's easy to see why the album is so strong: just look at the band members.

Doveman is comprised of some of NYC's best musicians -- vocalist/pianist/organist/et cetera Thomas Bartlett (Elysian Fields, Chocolate Genius, Mike Doughty), banjo player/guitarist Sam Amidon (Stars Like Fleas), violinist/electronics whiz Jacob Danziger (Ida, His Name Is Alive, Flashpapr), cornetist Peter Ecklund (Gloria Gaynor, Madeleine Peyroux, Loudon Wainwright III), guitarist/drummer Shahzad Ismaily (Tom Waits, Brian Eno, Rage Against the Machine), who joined the band after The Acrobat was recorded, and legendary drummer/guitarist/co-producer Dougie Bowne (The Lounge Lizards, Iggy Pop, Laurie Anderson), who recorded The Acrobat in just two days with Grammy winning producer/engineer Patrick Dillett (David Byrne, Mary J. Blige, Arto Lindsay). With musicianship like this, it's certainly no accident that The Acrobat is as good as it is.

The members of Doveman refer to their music as "insomnia pop" -- a description that's wryly accurate, if not mildly understated. Yes, this is bedroom music, suitable for those free-thinking types who never wake up before noon, but it's also intriguing, honest and rewarding. The album draws upon elements of pop, classical, jazz (improvisation) and ambience to relay its forlorn message: loneliness, melancholy and heartache are all part of the mix, which is, fortunately, free of pretense. Unlike much of today's pain-stricken music, The Acrobat does not demand that its listeners be sad along with it. There are no subliminal advertisements urging kids to paint their fingernails black so they can wander the world in morose states of pseudo-goth torture; these songs are too mature to hold to such a cultish image or garner that type of following. Doveman simply demands that listeners keep a clear head and an open heart so that the music can make its way through.

Thomas Bartlett's voice is part Chris Martin breathiness and part Nick Drake solemnity; its gentle tone keeps the other instruments from falling too far into the background. On "Honey", Bartlett's sighs are connected by Sam Amidon's careful banjo plucking, which fills the spaces between Bartlett's voice and piano, but only halfway, thereby leaving room for Peter Ecklund's cornet solo. Ecklund's playing is sparse but emotive, not unlike Miles Davis's work.

"Cities" also showcases Doveman's exceptional instrumentation. Dougie Bowne's weightless drumming keeps a loose swinging rhythm until Bartlett unleashes a rupturing piano melody. Playing with enough clunky dissonance to make Thelonious Monk blush, he delivers a maddening solo that has "Cities" bursting at its seams.

Mood-wise, the album reaches its nadir on the haunting ballad "Drinking". Bartlett's voice is barely a whisper gliding over Jacob Danziger's mournful violin, but still the sounds ring clearly in the spaces where they reside.

However advanced the music, Bartlett makes sure that his lyrics keep up (or at least that they don't pale in comparison). On closer "Dancing", Bartlett sings with a hint of sarcasm, as though he's desperately trying to avoid the truth: "And I could take her dancing / But I don't like to dance / My life reads like a book now / A harlequin romance / The edges hold together / The center falls flat / I can't blame it on the weather / My heart's not an acrobat." The words show Bartlett's ability to be poignant without being overly sensitive.

Although The Acrobat probably won't make you dance, play air guitar or sing along, the album's abundance of talent will definitely make you stop and listen. And once you listen, you'll be hooked.