Indie-rock's Mazarin is spinning a 'Tall Tale' Local band ranges further on its second album.

Stoltzfus, who himself drums in the Azusa Plane, had "no expectations at all" when the local Victoria label released the first Mazarin album, Watch It Happen, in 1999. So when England's NME named "Wheats" a single of the week that December, "it was actually very shocking," he says. But the accolades for Watch It Happen were well-deserved: Its layers of ecstatic harmonies, ringing acoustic guitars, and bright keyboards merited comparisons ranging from Neutral Milk Hotel to Brian Eno.

A Tall Tale Storyline follows suit while showing greater confidence and range, including two jangling country songs and two tributes to the late guitar master John Fahey. "He's been a big influence. . . . He connects folk music and American blues music with early '60s experimentalism."

Mazarin connects strummy indie pop with touches of spacey experimentalism.

"I just like to experiment in all different genres and like to see what I'm capable of at this point," says the very capable Stoltzfus.

Mazarin with the Brain Rakes and Califone, at the Khyber, 56 S. Second St., at 9 p.m. Thursday. Cost: $8. Phone: 215-238-5888.