After establishing themselves as one of America's best-known indie rock bands with the critical and commercial success of the albums Carnavas, Swoon, and Neck of the Woods, Silversun Pickups truly strike out on their own with their fourth album, 2015's Better Nature. Financed through a crowdsourcing campaign, Better Nature is the first album to be released through their own label, Big Machine Recordings, and the project awards them even greater creative freedom than they've enjoyed in the past. Produced by Jacknife Lee (who also produced Neck of the Woods as well as projects for R.E.M., U2, and Weezer), Better Nature finds Silversun Pickups exploring the further possibilities of their atmospheric, guitar-based sound. ~ Mark Deming