From its opening line of "Feminists don't have a sense of humor" ("Mother of Pearl") through the closing snarls and growls courtesy of the living dead ("Zombie"), Nellie McKay's "Obligatory Villagers" is a brief (by her standards) near-32-minute rush of cheeky social commentary set to a boisterous and playful jazzy cabaret soundtrack. McKay's biting wit shines through here as on previous efforts, as she takes jabs at everything from male chauvinism ("Mother of Pearl") to identity theft ("Identity Theft") and just plain life in general ("Livin's a bunch of shit," she chants on the pirate ditty "Livin' "). On the strength of her self-penned arrangements, the set moves effortlessly from chilled-out lounge jazz to disco and theatrical pop. —Jill Menze