MATTHEW HOUCK isn't sad. But his music is. For years the troubadour has spun his late-night yarns through a ghostly croon, and to great effect. There's no reason to think Houck is in a good way.

Oleg Berg, an engineer and musician in the Ukraine, had a dream as a kid. He wanted to be able to take popular songs, the recordings of which were instantly recognizable, and invert their sound: ...