With SXSW having wrapped up, hundreds of bands gathered here in Austin get ready to head back on the road, dispersing across the country on tour. One of those bands is Ra Ra Riot, who headlined SXSW's Barsuk/Merge showcase Saturday night at the Parish. They've been in Austin for three days, seeing old friends and meeting tons of new people.

The members of Ra Ra Riot are close, but only to a point. "With girls in the band, booger placement is an issue," says bassist Mathieu Santos, 23. "You have to be more secretive." Cellist Alexandra Lawn, 23, isn't buying it: "It seems like you're more open about it."

The last time the Cure-meets-Morrissey heart-tuggers Ra Ra Riot hit Chicago, the quintet could be seen conga-lining through a sea of hipsters post-gig at the Wicker Park street festival. That was before they were all about the 'Rhumb,' as in their August 19 debut Barsuk set, The Rhumb Line.

Here's a rundown of the essential albums available online and in record stores today, with more after the jump. Click each album title to read Spin's review:

What? In navigational terms, a rhumb line is a path of constant bearing. Given Ra Ra Riot’s brief but turbulent history, it seems only fitting they name their debut after a fixed point that won’t let you lose your way. That much is true of The Rhumb Line, out August 19 on Barsuk.