JAYNE SACHS BAND - SUTURES

When Jayne Sachs first appeared on the Dayton music scene, she became a much-talked about artist almost immediately, her infectious Pop songwriting leading many to speculate she'd be just a local treasure for not much longer. While the accolades and awards for her songwriting and self-released albums kept coming, the wide national acclaim never materialized. Their loss, our area's gain. Her fourth release, Sutures, is her first in four years and undoubtedly her best. The time gap between releases was a result of writer's block (and Sachs starting a family), but the block was blasted through in a big way. There's an intangible sparkle that pervades the songs on Sutures, a combination of Sachs' flawless voice, her band's versatile chops and those smart, sassy songs that ring with many layers of melodic splendor. Recorded in Nashville with producer "Lij" (who also worked on her last effort, 2000's Velveteen Girl), the album is sonically major-label quality, which can ruin some records but gives Sachs' material the richness it deserves. Highlights on the disc include the stirring piano-based ballad "When It's Dark," the quirky "Twisted Ballerina" and "Occupy Your Mind," which has the airy rumble of Joshua Tree-era U2. There are also plenty of radio-ready Pop nuggets, including the bouncy "40 Days" and "Push Your Pull," which is begging to be used on some UPN/WB teen drama. Accessible but rarely predictable, Sutures is a mature Pop album that proves that "maturity" doesn't have to be alienating or boring. The Jayne Sachs Band performs Friday at the Chicks RockFest at the Southgate House. (Mike Breen) Grade: B

THE MARS VOLTA - FRANCES THE MUTE

· THE MARS VOLTA ­ FRANCES THE MUTE (UNIVERSAL RECORDS/GSL)

It seems as if the boys in The Mars Volta upped their drug dosage for their sophomore album, Frances the Mute -- some of the concepts here go far beyond anything that could be conjured up within a sober state. I've never shook my head so many times in disbelief while listening to such arduous music being played with such effortlessness. This band is miraculous. They rose out from the ashes of At the Drive-In, a genre-trending underground band that had just begun to come into their own before disbanding in 2001. Cedric Bixler (vocals) and Omar Rodriguez (guitar) formed The Mars Volta while the rest of the group went on to form the equally successful Sparta. With Frances the Mute, Bixler and Rodriguez tread unfamiliar waters with a concept album that includes endless dirges into an abyss of noise, songs built within other songs that reach upwards of 35 minutes in length and a unique Latin vibe (most notably in "L' Via L' Viaquez"). The atmospheric feel that surrounds such epics as "Cygnus ... Vismund Cygnus" is constructed over some of the most technically sound drumming I've ever heard, a vocal range that can reach dizzying levels and guitar work that flows so well that it seems as if it wasn't even premeditated but instead composed almost schizophrenically. We might not be able to understand the method to the madness of Frances the Mute, but it's definitely amazing to witness it. (Kevin Warwick) Grade: A+

BRITISH SEA POWER - OPEN SEASON

· BRITISH SEA POWER ­ OPEN SEASON (ROUGH TRADE)

There were so many elements working against British Sea Power when the band coalesced five years ago, it's amazing that they got a chance to record a debut album at all. Utilizing stage props like tree branches, plastic birds and military garb, thrashing about in a barely focused chaos and acid-washing all of it with wave after histrionic wave of crashing guitar, BSP was a likely candidate for obscurity. But the band's ascension from Brighton curiosity to worldwide phenomenon since the release of 2003's cheekily titled The Decline of British Sea Power is every bit as dramatic as their majestic musical swells. The quartet's sophomore album, Open Season, finds them channeling their influences (Echo and the Bunnymen, David Bowie, Teardrop Explodes, Joy Division) with slightly more restraint while retaining a fascinating sense of drama and bombast. Broad, sweeping rockers like "Elegiac Stanzas" and "To Get to Sleep" are balanced by more subtle and gently powerful moments like "The Land Beyond" and "Mother," as BSP ably weaves the chillier and more precise aspects of their influences into a more engaging and passionate translation. (Brian Baker) Grade: B+

DOVES - SOME CITIES

· DOVES ­ SOME CITIES (CAPITOL)

It's no small trick to draw a thread through The Velvet Underground, Ocean Colour Scene, The Jam and Coldplay without sounding exactly like any one of those bands -- but that's what Doves has pulled off with Some Cities. The strong leadoff single, "Black and White Town," struts, stomps and swings like The Strokes wish they could. Elsewhere, additional pleasures await: Check the guitar hook in "Almost Forgot Myself," which recalls The Edge circa The Unforgettable Fire and sends the chorus to another level entirely. Jimi Goodwin will be nobody's favorite singer, but he puts his limited gifts to good use, and the attractive coarseness of his voice is particularly well-suited to the album's recurring themes of yearning and escape. The ace in the hole is drummer Andy Williams, who updates Motown beats with a propulsive-yet-tasteful touch. If you like it swirling and lush with well-placed effects, grab your headphones and head straight for Some Cities. Modern epic Pop is rarely done this well. (Matthew Fenton) Grade: A-