Married [LP]

More than any young American rock band, Kills Birds approach their songs with an intensity that's so tangible it feels like the stakes are near life and death. Fronted by Nina Ljeti, a Bosnian-Canadian filmmaker the Los Angeles Times called "L.A.'s most electrifying new rock singer," their performances are visceral and cathartic, with guitarist Jacob Loeb's blistering riffs and Fielder Thomas' pummeling basslines. While 2019's Kills Birds was a debut that captured the promise of their grunge-inspired sound and Ljeti's unflinching lyrics, Married, their follow-up is a triumphant representation of everything that makes them so thrilling. It's a document of a band pushing their musical chemistry to new heights.