This week’s best albums
– After a four-year layoff, Franz Ferdinand returns with a more matured take on its slinky, guitar-driven songs.
– Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd makes a solo debut, a diverse LP from an unsung songwriter.
– Following the death of second guitarist Chris Reimer, The Dodos find solace in productivity, releasing a fifth album in seven years while emphasizing electric-guitar tones.
Honorable mentions
Black Joe Lewis: Electric Slave (Vagrant)
Disappears: Era (Kranky)
Goodie Mob: Age Against the Machine (The Right Records)
Puscifer: All Re-Mixed Up