After releasing the eclectic debut album Ultra, the Tucson, Ariz.–based singer/songwriter Brian Lopez went about constructing a more focused album for 2014’s Static Noise. He spent more than two years writing the album, spilling out dozens of songs before editing down to the ones that best represented his expansive vocal and guitar abilities. His voice has rightfully been compared to folks such as the late Jeff Buckley and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke for its range and ability to zone in on an emotion while remaining light and free. Along the way, he’s collaborated with two very different performers, Giant Sand’s Howe Gelb and KT Tunstall. Lopez recorded at Waterworks Recording Studio in Tucson, coproducing with Jim Waters (Sonic Youth, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) and bringing in Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Modest Mouse) to mix the album. Songs were recorded live to tape whenever possible with Lopez’s handpicked crew, including Sean Slade (Radiohead, Pixies, Morphine) who provided arrangements throughout. The highlights “Mercury in Retrograde,” “Wrong or Right,” and a cover of The Zombies’ “She’s Not There” prove his instincts are right on.