This album came in CD form, in a normal case and such, as well as in freaking hardcore form. What exactly does that consist of, you ask? Well, 250 copies of this were made with wood cases, the picture and song titles engraved right into it. And, amazingly, the music is still better than the packaging. Hala Strana rely heavily on Indian style ragas and drones, but done up in a more "traditional" (I use the word very loosely) way. The songs are all absolutely beautiful, and never get repetitive, though they seem that they should. The distorted guitars and keyboards drift aimlessly on the first listen, but gain shape and obvious structure the more times you come back to the album. The Shins won't change your life. Hala Strana? Find out for yourself.
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