Chamber pop, although technically the correct genre for The Irrepressibles, comes nowhere near adequately describing Jamie McDermott’s brainchild and its debut full-length, Mirror Mirror. Wowing audiences with their striking live performances, fully fleshed-out extravaganzas with lights, costuming, and elaborate sets, the British collective find themselves in an interesting place, gracefully walking the line between band and theater company.

The spectacle begins with the trembling voice of McDermott declaring, “My friend Jo is a crazy bitch” atop a violin-heavy arrangement that takes care to ebb and flow with the dynamic vocals. McDermott immediately spells out what The Irrepressibles are there to accomplish, namely a flamboyant display of well-executed, outrageous orchestral pop better suited for the stage than headphones. Performed with ease, each song feels more like an act in a play than a song on a record. “My Witness” paints the picture of a man nearing a breakdown, whereas “Nuclear Skies” seems like an eventual triumph. Despite the range of emotions, each piece is consistent in its beautiful composition, centering on McDermott and his eccentric vocals. The extended instrumental conclusion of “The Tide” provides a breathtaking exception to the rule, with mournful violins and cello weaving in and out of each other.

Unfortunately, Mirror Mirror–and The Irrepressibles at large–are admittedly polarizing. Some will undoubtedly not take to McDermott’s wild vibrato, and at times, the themes go from beautiful to downright disturbing. The discomfort provides a rewarding opportunity to reevaluate conventional expectations and standards for pop music, though, and by the time burlesque-indebted “Splish! Splash! Sploo!” rolls around, the initial shock wears to sheer entertainment.

At the end of the day, Mirror Mirror, without the visual component, the costumes, and the physical spectacle that complete the audio theatrics, ultimately seems lacking. This seeming flaw, though, only makes the live performance, the full Irrepressibles experience, all the more enticing.

Essential Tracks: “The Tide”, “Splish! Splash! Sploo!”