It only took a little under six years to deliver the follow-up to , which is progress, considering that it was nearly a decade between that album and , and especially since was occupied with reunion for a couple of those years. sounds like progress, too: while all albums have, in varying proportions, a mix of whip-smart songs, droning rockers, and experimental tangents, the blend of these sounds hasn't sounded this satisfying since the days. and crew aren't making a big push a la , and they don't sound as defiant as they did on -- but, as on that album, feels like the band are doing exactly what they want and not worrying too much about what anyone else thinks about it. the song most like ' quintessential sweet-but-tart , is actually a cover of fellow Dayton band , and 's delivery is so cheeky that it almost feels like she's affectionately sending up that sound. is placed next to the album's oddest song, which happens to be the title track and finale: full of murky keyboards and a melody that plays hide-and-seek, sounds unfinished and unsettling. Yet there are a lot of other sounds between those extremes, including 's distorted drums and witty guitars, which prove that is still as skilled at collages as she was during 's heyday; and should also please fans craving more of 's sassy . However, the flirty, slow-dance cover of which shows off the pure beauty of her voice; the percussive, call-and-response jam a number so simple and effortless it feels like it could be a cover, make eclectic and even a bit daring. 's willingness to let the album's songs take their own paths is even more daring; from 's impressionistic , which opens with stampeding drums and cascading vocals, to the wandering, surf-tinged ballad many tracks feel open-ended and sometimes downright elusive. But, even if remains little more than a moody sketch and moves as slowly as dust turning in a sunbeam, they add to ' ebb and flow, with each song playing off the other naturally. And, though the album covers a lot of territory -- 13 songs in 36 minutes! -- it doesn't feel scattered; scattered implies no purpose, but ' songs land, eventually, exactly where they need to. ~ Heather Phares