Foxygen

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Foxygen just might be the most sincere new band on the block. The L.A. duo made up of friends Jonathan Rado and Sam France has long dabbled in classic rock paradigms, channeling artists ranging from psyched-out-era Beatles to Jefferson Airplane to The Doors and David Bowie. On We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, Foxygen homes in on its assets — namely, expansive and organ-tinged guitar rock delivered with a Mick Jagger–esque falsetto. Among the highlights, “San Francisco” is a pretty little number that harks back to The Velvet Underground with its shimmering pianos and flourishes of harmony, while “Oh No” is a blissful little space oddity that feels ripped from another time. Forget throwback; these kids have gone back, and through them the past has never sounded better.