Gemstones (2005)

On his third album, the former Moldy Peaches frontman resumes his very self-conscious quest to become our most subversive balladeer — Neil Diamond with attitude. Beyond his lounge-singer baritone and maddening music-hall ditties are glib references to oral sex, women's body parts, alt bands (wow — he just mentioned the drummer in the Strokes!), Johnny Depp, and a ''chubby princess'' who'll bust your mattress. His indie-circuit friends will be amused, but no one else will.