For the Raveonettes' second full-length album, Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo hide their Jesus & Mary Chain-inspired approach in the trunk and take off in a car fueled by vintage 1950s/early-'60s sounds. Here the Danish duo goes for a refined, mellower sound that is enhanced by the pop smarts of returning producer Richard Gottehrer (Blondie). And while earlier outings were recorded solely in the key of B-flat minor or major, PRETTY IN BLACK sports a widen sonic palette that proves to be enthusiastically free of such constraints. "Love in a Trashcan" works a wonderfully catchy rockabilly riff into one of the group's finest tunes, while "Sleepwalking" features a dreamy-yet-urgent atmosphere, and a cover of "My Boyfriend's Back" is carried along by distorted, sampled beats. In addition to Wagner and Foo's backing band, PRETTY IN BLACK also includes contributions by Ronnie Spector (who provides additional vocals on "Ode to L.A."), former Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker, and Suicide keyboardist Martin Rev. The stellar assistance, combined with a palpable sense of liberation, adds up to a fun, dynamic album that stands as the band's best to date.

• Genre: Rock
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 03/26/13