1956

Milwaukee's 1956 gets better with age. After a couple of early releases steeped in crushingly heavy alt-rock riffs and Helmet-inspired screeds, the trio matured in satisfying directions on their 2007 record, Saboteur, which they spent years crafting, swapping some of their hard-rock swagger for bleary-eyed nods to The National while still playing to the band's penchant for searing, propulsive guitar riffs. Recorded with Call Me Lightning's Shane Hochstetler at his Howl Street Recordings studio, the band's latest album, Lowtide, further builds on the melancholic tones of Saboteur, adding extra orchestrations and instrumental flourishes.