In the world of music journalism, it's always a pain to define artists with labels. Perhaps that is what makes Quinn Walker's recent double album, Laughter's an A**hole/Lion Land, so refreshing. Throw any music genre out there and it's bound to stick to Walker's first real album. Folk, indie, funk, electro...it's all in there. In fact, Walker says it best on his MySpace page: "Influences - yes; Sounds Like - fun."

The 29-track imaginatorium is both a mindblower and a mindmelter. The first half concentrates more on analog instrumentation, and the second half adds more bleeps and blips from electronic equipment. Brooklyn-based Walker is a mischievous musician, and when a song is supposed to take a left, he'll veer hard right and smack you in the back of the head for not knowing the shortcut. There's no denying that it's weird (think Tiny Tim) on its first spin; that much is obvious, and Walker relishes that role. But subsequent listens bring Laughter's up to another level, one that is shared with other "out there" stuff such as Panda Bear's critically acclaimed 2007 solo album.

His breakout track is "Rita Lolita," which leapfrogs from place to place in fragments--Valium-like hypnotic guitars that flip over to an indie-rock chant, etc.--assuring every person in the bar will be bobbing their heads to the song at one point or another. It's a self-contained musical, with a grandiose bow-out that should have drinkers raising their steins and bellowing. On "I'd Like to Take a Picture," Walker softens things up a bit with a Destroyer-esque guitar lick that's capped off by a powerful, howling country chorus--another shining moment in this treasure trove of gems. And just when the listener seems to have Walker all figured out, along comes the semi-electronic "Let Freedom Ring," which begins with an appropriate mantra: "Let's all bang our pots and pans..." before falling into the repeating chorus of "F*** paying taxes."

Quinn Walker, who may be downright insane (and that's fine), is a fresh artist in a soundscape dominated by more of the same dreck. Music fans looking for an alternative to routine should immediately gnaw through their shackles and give Walker a listen.

Laughter's an A**hole/Lion Land is out now on voodoo-Eros.

Audio: Stream songs from Quinn Walker's new album, Laughters an A**hole/Lion Land, here.