“I’ve got the cut, you’ve got the knife/But you never wanna take the blame, it’s mine”, go the hissing words on Zebra & Giraffe’s debut. It establishes the kind of no-holds-barred lyrics they’ve deployed through their career, tackling subjects like the ups-and-down of love. But the work on Collected Memories, an album where churning angular guitars are paired with electronic keyboards to sensational effect, stands out. Completely written and composed by Greg Carlin—with Grammy Award winner Darryl Torr on co-production—this dark alt-rock debut is packed with melodic moments that belie brutally honest words.