In America

There’s a certain brittle trebliness to Defunkt’s third album, but it actually works well for them: Kenny Martin’s drums positively crackle, and Kim Clarke’s spidery, elaborate bass lines go in about five directions at once. In the meantime, Joseph Bowie declaims and shouts, Bill Bickford chicken-scratches the funky rhythm guitar parts, and lead guitarist Ronnie Drayton shreds without stopping. It’s thinking man’s dance music, or dancing man’s avant-garde music, or maybe both. Just try not to shout along with “Love You from Afar.”