In a perfect world, all ex's would be forced to listen to Thank You, Uncle Tom, a new CD out by Brooklyn-based band Carmelize. With Anglo influences like Radiohead and Dr. Dre and Latinos like Aterciopelados and Café Tacvba, a "sticky brown sound" is born. Siblings Hillary Maroon (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards) and J Why (drums, keyboards, rhymes) are joined by Sandra Velasquez (guitar, vocals, keyboards) and El Chaplin (guitar, bass, vocals) on songs covering social justice, a recipe for flan, love gone awry, and sexual fetishes.

Find that annoying ex and make him listen to "Allergy": "I’m allergic to the sound of your whiny, whiny voice / Makes me want to plug my ears / I swear you leave me with no choice / ‘Cause I’m allergic / I’m allergic to you…" Sing it, Sandra.

You’ll have to bust out your Spanish-English dictionary for songs such as "Enfermedad" (translation: disease; another awesome ex song) and the emotional "Ciana" (who is Ciana anyway?). "If Only I Had" will make you thankful you weren’t involved with her ex: "If only I had never paid your bail / If only I had followed you to jail / Then I could / Then I could / Then I could / Then I could still be miserable with you…"

Carmelize shares their political views in "The Caramel Eyes Song" with a bass line that rivals Dr. Dre’s: "Carmelize on the rise: We’ll organize and strategize and movilize against you / J Why’s here to dispel the lies, to tell you to listen to the cries of those you’ve denied the right to decent lives…"

I even found myself abandoning the CD in the middle of "Los Lobules (The Language of Lobe)" as I felt compelled to nibble on my husband’s pair for a while. Earlobes, that is.

Whether you have ex's or not, pick up Carmelize’s Thank You, Uncle Tom for it’s unique sound, Latin-based grooves, and lyrics that will make you think.

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