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THE RUBY SUNS Over the past quarter-century, the best New Zealand pop has fed on geographical and cultural isolation, but that’s all over now. They’ve got the Internet down there, too, and at the rate things are going, their dollar will soon be worth more than ours. So even though the Ruby Suns are based in Auckland, the three-piece draws inspiration from all over the world. Frontman Ryan McPhun is a transplanted Californian, and his taste in layered vocal harmonies makes it pretty plain that the Boy has some Beach sand stuck between his toes. He’s also spent time in Africa, and it shows; “Ole Rinka” is named after a guy he met on a Maasai reserve, while “Tane Mahuta” pairs Afro-Caribbean percussion, guitars and trombones with Maori chanting. The multicultural mix and match works best on “Oh, Mojave,” which hits like a cocktail of Mexican and Polynesian liquors shaken, not stirred, by Caribou on a sunny day; you can imagine it playing in backpacker hostels and organic eateries all around the Pacific Rim. However, the Ruby Suns are less appealing when they land closer to home. When they go for swirling keyboards and yearning falsettos vocals on “Remember” and “Morning Sun,” all you can think is that one Flaming Lips is enough. [Sub Pop, www.subpop.com] —Bill Meyer
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