"My dreams would be constantly wilting away," Unknown Mortal Orchestra singer-guitarist Ruban Nielson informs us on his band's second album. Bad news for his dreams, good news for his music: The Portland trio make decaying states of consciousness seem like heaven with psychedelic guitar-pop that's alluringly out of focus. Nielson unspools his delightedly spacey mumble-croon over neo-hippie guitar magma and dusty grooves that might've been found in a box out behind Beck's garage. Dappled flower-pop like "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)" and red-eyed geeksoul like "So Good at Being in Trouble" give off a sense that Nielson's idea of a good time is putting on his favorite Syd Barrett and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffitti records and throwing a tea party for his cats. But UMO's way with a languidly defenestrating tune might have you purring right along with them.

“Help Me”

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded this song for her album Court and Spark, but she had to switch from her regular band to make the song sound exactly the way she wanted. "I had attempted to play my music with rock & roll players," she told Rolling Stone. "They’d laugh, 'Awww, isn't that cute? She's trying to teach us how to play.'" Mitchell switched to a jazz band, Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, and scored the biggest hit of her career in the process.