Boston’s Pet Fox operate all the levers and switches of postpunkery with finesse on their forthcoming A Face In Your Life (Exploding In Sound). But it’s the extra flavors of jazz, prog, no wave ever so subtly sprinkled over the songwriting that opens up the sound universe of the proceedings to new dimensions. Shades of Q and Not U, Karate, late Sonic Youth.

There’s a compelling conversation between the guitar/bass and drums that unfolds through all of the album. Instead of conspiring to serve up the same old stale bologna sandwiches of verse/chorus, the rhythm section pokes and prods and frees up to take some risks. Extra points for gorgeous production.

This is an album that needs a lot of listens before you crack its core. Start by streaming our highlighted track, the namesake “A Face In Your Life,” which balances rock textures with some stranger notes. Pet Fox: come for the postpunk, stay for the jazz, prog, no wave and whatever the hell else you hear in there.

Stream, share, buy to your heart’s content.