On Snail Mail’s follow-up to 2021’s Valentine, Lindsey Jordan sharpens her talent for pairing soaring melodies with bruised, endearingly straightforward introspection. With assistance from Aron Kobayashi Ritch of the similarly minded indie rock outfit Momma and R.E.M. producer Mitch Easter, Jordan delves deeper into the ’90s alt-rock sounds presented in diamond-cut form on Valentine while never losing sight of the guitar-centric crunch that marked her star-making 2018 debut Lush (check out the pinwheel riffs that kick open the door on “Dead End”). The dusky sounds of “Tractor Beam” and the string-laden “Cruise” take equal cues from The Smashing Pumpkins’ angsty theatricality and The Goo Goo Dolls’ high-flying choruses; all the while, Jordan’s songwriting is direct and inviting as ever, always landing with the soft power of a playful punch to the gut.