But what ultimately makes Salt so addicting is Nina Ramsby's commanding vocals, which fuse the raw-throated emotion of PJ Harvey with Siouxsie Sioux's psychotic delivery. Ramsby's obsessive ruminations about love throughout Auscultate create an underlying tension. When she sings, "I won't leave until I'm done with you/Trust me, you will need me too," it's hard not to get a little spooked.

-- Mark Klimek