Annie Clark used to play guitar for the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, until her solo debut Marry Me came out and bowled the critics over. Her new one, Actor, springboards off of that lovely little debut into a brave new world of adventurous melodies, shredding guitar (she really blitzes up a couple of inspirational noise storms here), odd woodwinds and noises and what-have-you, all tethered to the guiding star of her lovely, floating voice. Lots of musical helpers, but she is the real presence, and her songs are quite original and mesmerizing. A big step beyond your usual lady singer-songwriter fare, this marks out some serious turf. Prepare for strangeness and charm.