Wednesday: Bleeds (eco mix coloured vinyl) LP

Wednesday's new album, "Bleeds", is an intoxicating collection of narrative-heavy Southern rock that, like many of the most arresting passages from the North Carolina band's highlight reel so far, thoughtfully explores the vivid link between curiosity and confession. "Bleeds" is not only the best Wednesday record, it's also the most Wednesday record, a patchwork-style triumph of literary allusions and outlaw grit, of place-based poetry and hair-raising noise. Just like "Rat Saw God", one of the defining rock 'n' roll records of the 2020s so far, "Bleeds" came together at Drop of Sun in Asheville and was produced by Alex Farrar, who's been recording the band since "Twin Plagues". Karly Hartzman - founder, frontwoman, and primary lyricist - again brought demos to the studio, where she and her bandmates - Xandy Chelmis (lap steel, pedal steel), Alan Miller (drums), Ethan Baechtold (bass, piano), and Jake "M.J." Lenderman (guitar) - worked as a team to bulk-up the compositions with the exact right amounts of country truth-telling, indie-pop hooks, and noisy sludge. More than ever, the precise proportions were steered by the lyricism - not only its tone or subject matter, but also the actual sound of the words, as well as Hartzman's masterfully subjective approach to detail selection.