On Speedy Ortiz's Real Hair, the band sets a course between the knotty discord of debut album Major Arcana and the pop bonafides of the preceding Sports EP. From the vocal melodies to the no-nonsense guitar turns, this is Speedy's catchiest outing yet, drawing inspiration from contemporary Top 40 and R&B radio in addition to their regular arsenal of guitar rock. Dupuis' lyrics continue to address concerns about identity, representation, and their misalignment, this time from a new angle: "While the last album was kind of a breakup jam, these songs are a lot more introspective--myself dealing with and talking to and making sense of myself," she says. With Real Hair, Speedy Ortiz once again taps into the four-part chemistry that brought their prior outings praise. They're still equal parts noisy and poetic, and now merge those channels more seamlessly than ever.

• Released: 2/11/14
• Format: Vinyl
• Internal ID: JITRE
• Genre: Indie & Alternative
• Format Detail: LP w/ DL
• Handling Note: **Please allow an additional 72 hours for this item's shipment.**