Real Hair

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, while subtly adding new techniques to their songbook. Guitarists Sadie Dupuis and Matt Robidoux brought on additional guitar effects to color the roundabout feel of "Oxygal," and bassist Darl Ferm and drummer Mike Falcone hit hard to deliver the jump-in-the-pit urgency of "American Horror." With Real Hair, Speedy Ortiz once again taps into the four-part chemistry that brought their prior outings praise.