Our exclusive Mus-o-meter registers Ethan Lipton

Ethan Lipton and His Orchestra borrows graciously from a variety of styles and sounds — 1950s Memphis grooves, a capella, and Randy Newman’s growl are just some of the things evident in the band’s hodgepodge of a sound, all united by Lipton’s sardonic, melancholy voice that cuts through it all with a hint of honesty (hear it live this Friday at Barbes). But to really get a sense of what it’s all about, we leave that up to the math of our exclusive Mus-O-Meter:

Take the quick storytelling and finger-snapping groove of Tom Waits’ “The Heart of Saturday Night.” Then add …

The quirky humor and pop sensibility of Randy Newman’s 1977 hit “Little Criminals.” Then add …

The unconventionality in both musical style and subject matter of They Might Be Giants’s 1986 self-titled debut. The result?

Ethan Lipton

and His Orchestra’s sophomore album, “Honker.”