The Rhumb Line (2008)

Ra Ra Riot's debut album The Rhumb Line charges out of the gate with ''Ghost Under Rocks,'' a bass-and-cello-driven outburst whose urgency recalls Unforgettable Fire-era U2. Two tracks later, ''St. Peter's Day Festival'' proves them equally adept at sighing balladry. Founding member and drummer John Pike co-wrote both of those tunes, along with three others. His accidental death before the disc's recording gives them all a distinctly bittersweet tinge. But the upstate New York quintet's assured performances act as a suitable memorial. A-
DOWNLOAD THIS: Listen to ''Ghost Under Rocks'' on the band's MySpace page