Carrier

This San Francisco duo might be feeling the effects of former guitarist Christopher Reimer’s death in 2012. (There's a song called “Death,” for what it’s worth.) Though he was no longer a member at that time, Reimer inspires a somber tone through much of the duo’s fifth album, Carrier, with Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber slowing things down in key spots more than usual in the process. “Holidays” is ghostly, lasting a mere minute and a half, but shows a beauty that’s splendidly fleeting. “Transformer” drips with a hypnotic downcast form. “Confidence” starts with a sense of reflection. “Family” evokes the idea of a long-lost b-side, with the vocals coming from somewhere in the distance with a melodic innocence worthy of an obscure ‘60s group such as The Critters. “The Current” ramps up an upbeat attack. “Destroyer” re-introduces the band’s tendency to trip up the rhythms in odd spots, while “Substance” drums its ways to power. The Dodos come out of it very much alive.