Oceans Apart (2005)

The on-again, off-again members of the Go-Betweens have always operated like quasi-anonymous indie-pop altruists: They drop in from Australia every once in a while, release some immaculately radiant tunes, and then disappear again. It's patience-trying, but the results always worth the wait, especially on Oceans Apart: The acoustic wallop of ''Here Comes a City'' recalls their new-wave roots, while the angelic ''No Reason to Cry'' moves beyond them. Twenty-seven years into their career, they remain one of rock's most pleasurable hand-me-down discoveries.