As mature into a real band rather than just another of 's many side projects, and have tried to carry a greater amount of the songwriting weight, and their sound has taken on a more individual personality, rather than the " -with-a-twang-and-faster-tempos" sound of their debut. This didn't work out so well on 1999's , a somewhat muddled set that lacked the fire and focus of the group's best work, but finds firmly back on track; are learning to deliver material just as strong as 's always top-shelf work (especially ), and the band sounds tighter, stronger, and more expressive than ever before (the three live cuts also testify to undeniable strength on stage). If offers a bit less pure fury than ' high-water mark, , from a musical standpoint it finds this band sounding better than ever before, and their rabble-rousing anger is still very much in evidence if you're looking for it; are one of the very best bands to emerge from the alt-country scene, and this album proves they're only getting better with time. ~ Mark Deming