They may be from the Northwest, but Pink Martini [ tickets ]'s musical world seems limitless. "Hey Eugene" is a smart romp through genres and geographies, from the Lower East Side to the Middle East and beyond.

An impressive live band, Pink Martini has been finessing some of these songs onstage since their last release, 2004's "Hang On Little Tomato." "Hey Eugene" is only the third album in a decade from the 15-person ensemble, but it's a fine example of what the band has been up to onstage all these years. Inspired by orchestral soundtracks, Latin sambas, and lounge and cabarets acts, Pink Martini has always been a one-of-kind band. Likewise, "Hey Eugene" is a fun, one-of-kind album. Pink Martini is led by classically trained pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale, who formed the act in 1994, and marvelously dynamic singer China Forbes. The band provides lush strings, spicy trumpets and celebratory percussion on nearly all of the album's dozen tracks. Forbes' voice is timeless, and, for the most part, she settles into her foreign-language tracks with ease, going Spanish, Portugese, Russian, French--even Arabic--with confidence. The songs are all different--but a global theme ties them all together. "Tempo Perdido" is the soundtrack to an East L.A. backyard barbecue. "Cante e Dance" is a beautifully romantic Portugese number. And the three English songs here are just as effective. Opener "Everywhere" has a widescreen, cinematic scope. "City of Night" is a sultry, metropolitan bar-hopping tune, and title track "Hey Eugene" offers an entertaining story of a drink-soaked New York City night. With "Hey Eugene," Pink Martini's blend of languages, genres and grandeur creates a timeless set--one that can be equally appreciated in Rio de Janeiro or Raleigh-Durham.