The Nature of Things moves this Wisconsin-bred trio away from the orchestral sounds of its compatriot Justin (Bon Iver) Vernon toward a more stripped-down approach. Chief singer/songwriter Jon Sunde’s quirky lyrical themes and complex arrangement ideas suggest a melding of Yes and The Feelies, among other unlikely combinations. There’s an emphasis on Fleet Foxes-like choral singing as well, heard in the gorgeous vocal blends of “Blood Brothers” and “Pale Horse, Pale Rider.” Pastoral imagery gives songs like “I & Thou” and “The Birds of the Air and the Flowers of the Field” rustic charm, while “Andrew the Wanderer” and “The Animal of Choice” have the feel of dark parables. Especially striking is “Ames, IA,” which applies the group’s luminous harmonies to the bleak prayer of a doomed meth addict. African guitar motifs, twitchy percussion, and reverb-bathed guitars add to the album’s distinct sound. Behind the band’s collective eccentricities is a haunting vision overlaying the minutiae of everyday experience with a deeper mythic dimension, making The Nature of Things more than your typical freak-folk exercise.