Crush Kill Destroy October 21, 2008

Chicago's Crush Kill Destroy specialize in the sort of intelligent soundscape post-something rock championed by bands like June of '44 and Shellac. CKD's plan is to let their cleanly strummed guitars soothe the listener, clearing the way for marvelously dissonant Mogwai-style crescendos. It's all about the interplay between the two guitarists, who build gorgeous arpeggios and thick chord stacks around each other. These are expertly wound around the rhythm section, whose solid playing brings focus and structure to the odd, almost freeform guitar explorations.