I still prefer Marry Me by a slim margin, but Actor has its charms. It’s more mature, more assured, less desperate to please than its predecessor—though those qualities in the former might just be what endear me to it.

In any event, there are some towering songs on Actor. Sonically, it’s more adventurous and more polished than Marry Me, which is saying a lot. I would be able to tell that Annie Clark has been listening to a lot of Robert Fripp even if she hadn’t mentioned it in interviews.

“Black Rainbow” is probably the most frighteningly accomplished song here. Its final mounting crescendo is pure bombast, and its intricate arrangements marry the best bits of chamber pop and prog rock. I’d like ten more of these songs every year for the rest of my life, please.