I Sank Molly Brown

Like the album's name itself, all of the song titles on Ishmael Asimov fall just shy of cringeworthy puns and curious statements. In fact, one has to applaud the audacity of calling a song "Slap N' Pickle" and have it be a rather contemplative number. But mostly this release is high-energy experimental rock with a decidedly poppy and melodic bent. The way the act turns anthemic progressions on their heads in "Seven African Powers" has long made it one of Molly Brown's finest moments. "Kobra Kayak," meanwhile, embodies the band's ability to weave together atmosphere and precise bursts of rhythm across all instruments, making it the strongest track on an album rich with musical ideas — each of which a lesser band would try to stretch into an entire career.