Townhouse Records

Taking a break from the skull-scraping distortion of previous releases, the group leans even more on BBQ’s simmering, shimmering R&B, a sweet sound that draws on doo-wop and Sam Cooke even as it embraces the thick, primal thump of The Sonics and The Kinks. The guitars are quieter, but they’re soaked in echo and even a haunting delicacy, at least when they aren’t slashing like treble-edged switchblades. – A.V. Club