*** 1/2 Tarnation, “Mirador,” Reprise.

It’s an odd mix of twang and tremolo: Paula Frazer’s extreme vocal formality--she sounds like a mountain gal gone Juilliard--and the San Francisco band’s affection for uncomplicated pop iconography--from Buddy Holly to “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” But somehow it yields a depth of mood that Tarnation’s alt-country peers dream of.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).