Gelgia Caduff is a Swiss singer. But given the ways she manipulates her voice (she can do a full sweep of PJ Harvey's career range in a single song), that statement is correct but woefully inadequate. She has engaged the Orchester Laufental Thierstein to create a rock opera. And that, too, fails to remotely describe what transpires.

Gelgia Caduff & Orchester Laufental Thierstein Wishful Thinking (Mädchen für Alles)

Her songwriting range is like her singing; she simply throws whatever elements she likes into a piece (acoustic blues riff with prog rock? Why not!) and somehow makes it work. Musically, this is often an almost random mishmash, and lyrically I didn't quite follow the plot. And I couldn't care less.

Ever wonder what it might sound like if Diamanda Galas were to sing songs written by Meatloaf or the Who with full rock and orchestral backing? Again, a woefully inadequate description. Caduff rides chaos like almost no one I've heard before.

Strangest of all, these songs tend to be arranged in the form of demented Broadway songs. Eventually, no matter what has come before, there's a kick-ass sing-along chorus. This is one of the weirdest and most fascinating albums I've heard in years. And that's just the music. The lyrics and general point of the "opera" totally escape me. Fine. I'll bathe in this a few more times and see what sticks. Gloriously bizarre, and simply glorious.

Jon Worley