The group, working with minimal parts that operated at extremely high levels of proficiencies, again reminded me why I like them so much and left an energetic Turf Club crowd in awe of their marvelous abilities.

While “Cliffhanger” doesn’t show her great singing as well as other songs on Fighter, it best represents the unbridled energy and powerful sound the band has created on their debut for local label Guilt Ridden Pop.

With Love Comes Close, Cold Cave mixes in elements of noisy rock and dance music on an extremely strong album. The dancier portions of the album never venture into, say, Cut Copy territory, but still pack loads of melodies into an array of scuzzy arrangements.

Photo and video coverage of Shahs & Whitesand/Badlands’ performance at Minneapolis’ 7th St. Entry.

If this record indeed stands as their swan song, they would be hard pressed to end on a better note.

Some will simply be happy that this supremely talented group of friends, who toured under the same moniker a few years back, are finally putting some songs to wax. Others, myself included, will take a step back from the record and come away with the feeling that the group’s self titled debut is little more than a patchwork quilt of songs that would serve no better than B-Sides for their main outfits.

Kurt Vile’s songs, which are precise and timeless sounding on records, were deconstructed and torn apart at the 7th Street Entry. While I would never advocate, or approve of, a band sounding note for note like their album, there is a point where it seems like Vile was adding dissonance just for the hell of it.

After all of the great albums the band has released the one that finds its way back to my stereo most often is 2002’s Kill the Moonlight.

No matter whether you are an audiophile or just someone who wants to party, Girl Talk has proven to be the best at what he does, with no better example than the amazing Night Ripper.

While the album as a whole isn’t as strong as Men’s Needs Women’s Needs, Whatever, We Were Aborted may be the most concise, anthemic song the group has ever written and is a stirring song that continues to highlight the strengths of this great band.

Childish Prodigy jumps all over the place over the course of its 11 songs, ranging from dreamy, strung out folk music to stomping rock and roll. The main strength of the album is the timeless sound that Vile creates, both representing new and exciting sounds while keeping an eye respectfully on the past…

After releasing one of my favorite albums of the year, Eskimo Snow, a few weeks back, Oakland band Why? came to town Wednesday night to play what was one of the best shows I have seen this year at the Triple Rock Social Club.