U.S. Maple’s debut album is nothing short of stunning, combining angular guitar attacks, odd skronks, jazzy tones, and a generally deconstructive approach to music into a sound of unparalleled idiosyncrasy. The record’s finest moments come when the slanted attack and fractured composition converge to simulate something approaching a conventional song (“Letter to ZZ Top,” with lyrics like “Give my bones to Billy Gibbons,” pretty much rules out any notion of normality). Between these off-kilter constructions and the group’s even more off-kilter deconstructions, a truly amazing record is created, one that combines hard-edged, “whiskey, no chaser” rock with exceptionally intelligent slants and fractures. – Nitsuh Abebe