Caspian/O'Brother

Captains of the SS Moody Melody, Caspian has always demonstrated a particular ability to coil gentle, ethereal strings work around tight percussion -- all instrumental. They’re one of the more notable post-rock bands still touring these days, and last year’s Dust and Disquiet shows why that is. Caspian is still writing really engaging music, even while sticking to their roots and resisting the growing inclination to anchor the genre with modular synthesizers and stuff like that. Take “Rioseco,” which wraps itself like kudzu around your headphones and builds to a heavy, drawn-out climax. This is Caspian’s bread and butter. Tune in. (Eric Sandy)