Sleigh Bells, “Jessica Rabbit” (Torn Clean, 2016)
Four albums in, on a smaller label, their hip cachet fading fast and their prospects for indie-breakout stardom in ruins, these two come with . . . arguably their best album yet. A genuine departure and an experiment that actually works. The triumphal keyboard heraldry, processed-to-hiss spray-cheez-metal guitars and rollercoaster-techno-glam beats are all still there, but intercut with mournful acoustic-strum disorientation, hall-of-mirrors dub passages and more. Song structures shift abruptly halfway through, leaving you feeling like you woke up drunk in a house you’ve never seen before. Laugh at them if you must, but this cements their status as a band people will come back to ten years from now to remember how the ‘70s sound/felt.
Try 2, 5, 6
11/10/16

Sleigh Bells, “Reign of Terror” (Mom & Pop, 2012)
The hype machine is really cranking re: these guys, and this is slicker than the debut, but it also rocks harder and has better songs (though nothing as perfect as “Rill Rill”). Processed sheets of candy-colored guitar scree that burst in mid-air like fireworks, driven by rolling late ‘80s-hiphop-inflected beats and spectoresque bang-chime effects.
Try 4, 6, 9
4/30/12