With lyrics that read like a clear-headed Aesop Rock, Busdriver could probably take MC Paul Barman and MF Doom in Scrabble. He’s got indie cred all over him; he’s rapped on Islands’ “Where There’s A Will There’s A Whalebone,” and his wordplay has showed up on some of Th’ Corn Gangg’s releases. The new album, Jhelli Beam, continues his tommy-gun style; you could call him an art-rap Busta Rhymes. The topics range from the Coen Brothers’ Barton Fink to former U.N. head Boutros Boutros-Ghali, often within the same verse. On “Me - time” he employs fellow backpacker Edan’s “Key-bored” conceit of rapping over Mozart’s “Rondo Alla Turca.” Yet, with all his Dada-like rhymes, there’s something wrong: he overstuffed the album. After being bombarded with brilliance, it’d be nice to understand what the hell he is saying - but that’s what repeated listens are for. - Evan Tokarz