Wild Beasts
Smother
(Domino)

Not since Morrissey has a singer been able to deliver bon mots like “I would lie anywhere with you/ any old bed of nails would do” as convincingly as the Beasts’ Hayden Thorpe. However, using his operatic croon to sing such lyrics is not Thorpe’s only weapon. And, together with his bandmates on the group’s third album, he is able to achieve the near impossible: create an indie rock record with true sass. While not incredibly subtle, many of the tracks seem to revel in their illicit subject matter. “Take off your chemise, and I’ll do as I please,” Thorpe sings on “Plaything.” Fortunately, the music’s mix of piano and chiming guitars over simple drum beats demands respect. The tension between such opposites drives the album to some impressive heights, such as the seven minute-plus finale “End Come Too Soon.” —Michael Cimaomo

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Welcome to Florida
Make it Work
(independent)

Members of supreme funk group Welcome to Florida really do make it work in their latest, Make It Work. Welcome to Florida is not from Florida, and is in fact a product of New Hampshire. The group came together in 2001, and has been bringing their version of New Hampshire funk to states across New England. They’ve since produced six albums. Make it Work is fun, high energy funk music you’ll want to dance to. The title song, “Make it Work,” is probably the best on the album. The rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to the energetic promise of its opening, and as the CD goes on, the songs start to run together. Still, bandmates J.Z. MacMartin, Duncan Pelletier, Chris Reilly, and Wes Chisholm offer great funky sounds and an ironic sense of humor. —Rachel Dougherty

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Friendly Fires
Pala
(XL Recordings)

Named after the location of author Aldous Huxley’s 1962 novel Island, the second album by these alternative dance rockers is its own brand of utopia. However, where the book preached the virtues of selective industrialization, the goal here appears to be to sound as thoroughly modern as possible. To that end, the majority of tracks play as upbeat party anthems that wouldn’t be out of place in Ibiza or your local hipster hotspot. Opening number and first single “Live Those Days Tonight” sets the template. Combining a thumping bass, funk-inspired guitar, and ’80s synths, the song is ready-made to fill dance floors. And for those who need a breather, there’s the chilled pace of the record’s title track, which is conveniently located at the halfway point. While many tunes border on the extreme of over-prodution, it’s a tightrope they walk with uncanny precision. —Michael Cimaomo