Wavves auteur Nathan Williams is another acolyte in indie rock's Church of Brian Wilson. But where, say, Animal Collective's Beach Boy harmonies abandon themselves to the psychedelic sea, Williams' woozy punk pop sounds like it's constantly fighting riptides. The San Diego native's second album, Wavvves — released on Fat Possum, former home of the Black Keys — is bad–trip music for cloudless days: surging distortion, sun–dazed hooks and a dark sense of humor — see "California Goths" (one of five goth–themed songs), which follows a panic–attack mantra of "when I die" with cartoon "la la las" inside a speeding punk–rock jalopy. The battle between noise and melody veers from scary to hilarious to heroic, and as a metaphor for trying to feel good in trying times, it may hit you close to home.