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The story of Family begins with the unlikely reunion of a married couple who once made remarkable music together but then didn’t speak to each other for years.

Tomlin’s latest collection of worship songs brandishes a full-band sound, yet many should adapt well to more intimate settings.

Layered, dense, and driving, this Chicago-based outfit recalls British new wave bands Lush, the Cocteau Twins, and Joy Division. Though her vocals sit low in the mix, singer and songwriter Ami Gloria shows ample confidence. Light also pierces the dark textures, as on “Highway”: “Open your big bark eyes / Upon that big dark highway / I’ll be walking along.”

“My Ride’s Almost Here” is a chamber-pop gem à la Nick Drake, but the rock mode of this Boston band works equally well. “The Fight Against Paranoia” rides on tumbling rhythm, and “Try This Again” melds rustic accordion to scratchy, catchy guitar riffs. Paul Hansen’s vocals telegraph literate lyrics, as on “Astronomy as Therapy”: “The further out you go, the less you feel alone / The further out you go, the less you fear alone.” Highly recommended.

Those who know Llanas from his time in the BoDeans will recognize his voice: still sharp and tough, yet infused with urgency on the leadoff track “Déjà Vu” and the plaintive rocker “The Best I Can.” On the tender side, “I’m Still Alive” could serve as Llanas’s theme song, given the ups and downs of his former band: “I’m grateful for another day / Another chance to find my way.”