The cello as an instrument gets a bad rap. It’s like a big violin you can’t hold up to your chin. It’s somehow different than a viola, isn’t usually found south of the mason-dixon line, and typically plays music written by men who’ve been dead for centuries.

Enter The Portland Cello Project, a collaborative cohort widely known and appreciated in Northwest America and now bringing their boundary-pushing sound to the world with a self-titled album out August 12.

Musée Mécanique: “Under Glass” (mp3)

Laura Gibson: “Hands in Pockets” (mp3)

From Stravinsky to (Brittany Spears), the unconventional approach to performance is a guilty pleasure worth busting out your finest powdered wig to complement your PBR tallboy.