Wussy

After two albums of sour mash-infused music that fits — not so neatly — into a few different musical genres, Wussy’s third release continues with a rich, earthy sound built on straightforward guitars and drums, and the wonderfully imperfect vocals of Lisa Walker and Chuck Cleaver (although hers are closer to perfect than his). Cleaver, formerly of the neo-hillbilly/indie-rock outfit the Ass Ponys, still has his unmistakable, hi-pitched warble but brings it down to a dusky, darker tone on occasion. He’s like a gentle, grizzled bear on the sweet “Magic Words,” pining for love from his partner-in-all-things (Walker), as she twitters sweetly in the background. Pining back on “Gone Missing,” Walker veers into Chrissie Hynde territory with her warm and husky tones, and on the fantastic, chugging “Happiness Bleeds” they exchange endearing shouts of love. The slow waltz of “Dreadful Sorry” and the bittersweet send-off of “Maglite” are additional standouts. Wussy’s artful lyrics are never embarrassing, and their command of a catchy melody is impressive. This Cincinnati outfit only gets stronger with each outing.