"I found my place in the wishing well/I found my place not feeling well," sings Braids vocalist/guitarist Raphaelle Standell-Preston, summing up the Montreal foursome's mix of euphoria and ambiguity. Their debut takes the beatific psychedelic washes of Animal Collective back to the testy clatter of punk-folk wild women the Raincoats — an at times nutty, at times serene, mash-up of pastoral guitar babble, minimal orchestral drones, loopy chorale vocals and porous, roiling rhythms. Standell-Preston holds it together, trilling "I can't stop it" or "it doesn't really matter how many times you say no" or "have you fucked all those dragons yet," sucking us in while she keeps us guessing. 

Listen to Braids' "Lemonade":

Gallery: Keep up with rock's hottest photos in Random Notes

“Youth Knows No Pain”

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”