Shattered

Shattered Reigning Sound's first album for Merge and the first full LP by the group since 2009's Love and Curses. The band's principal songwriter/member is Greg Cartwright, who's been leading the shifting cast of characters since 2001. The album was recorded at Daptone's Brooklyn studio (where drummer Mikey works in the office) and masterfully engineered by Wayne Douglas. The recordings are warm and punchy, a mixed bag of rockers, ballads, and something in between. There are only 11 songs on the album, but the band reckons it's just right.