The Dismemberment Plan, "change"

Washington, D.C., post-punk quartet the Dismemberment Plan has grown up gracefully over the course of four albums, each broadening the scope of the band's repertoire by flirting with both ends of the normalcy spectrum. "Change," the group's fourth, simultaneously lives up to and sabotages its title by following the same pattern: it contains the band's most traditional rock/pop songs to date alongside some truly bizarre experiments.

The record kicks off with "Sentimental Man," one of the smoothest pop songs the Plan has ever executed (read: the time signature doesn't jerk going into the chorus), but heads from there to "The Face of the Earth," juxtaposing steady rhythmic groove verses with a jet-propelled chorus of chiming guitars. "Secret Curse" builds tension with stream-of-consciousness ramblings from frontman Travis Morrison before erupting into a fiery rock chorus. Naturally, it's followed by the uncharacteristic acoustic musing of "Automatic." "Following Through" spotlights instantly catchy harmonies, while "The Other Side" tips its hat to jungle and drum-and-bass via drummer Joe Easley's never-dull rhythmic patterns.

But through all this meandering, the Plan's vision never becomes muddled, as Morrison's pronounced voice leads the charge in front of one of indie rock's most talented rhythm sections. The foursome's musicality ultimately trumps its idiosyncrasies, uniting "Change" and reinforcing the Plan's position as one of the most original and exciting rock bands of modern times.