never stopped working, persevering through both good times and bad. The 2010s wound up as something of a latter-day renaissance for the group, as they found a familiar groove with the adoption of 's son as their regular drummer in 2010. At the end of the decade, they released a flurry of albums all recorded with co-producer . -- an album set for 2020 release but pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- retains , along with the same basic feel instituted on 2016's : a careful revival of all the tricks that made 's first four albums power pop classics. Most of the time this means the band bashes out riff-heavy rockers dipped in candied que harmonies, but they also take the time to indulge in a little bit of psychedelia, not to mention the trippy "So It Goes," which hearkens back to "Mandocello." 's melodies are sharp, and sounds vigorous -- he might not be mistaken for a young man in his twenties, but he hardly sounds as if he's pushing 70. The muscle and commitment of and help make sound like a classic album. If doesn't quite feel like a classic , blame that on the group's dogged adherence to their old blueprint; they follow it so closely that they don't allow room for adventure, mistake, or fashion. Maybe that means the album doesn't quite seem fresh, but it does hit its marks in a reliable, satisfying manner. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine