After two albums of perfecting their backwoods acoustic charm, go electric and eclectic on . The band enlisted producer -- best known for working with , , and -- to help with the transformation, and it's a stunning one. The change might not be as shocking as, say, when went electric, but it's still something of a shock to hear the pastoral sound of ' past chopped down by plugged-in axes. To be fair, the band eases listeners into the transition, kicking off the album with two songs that would have been standouts on or . is another showcase for 's rustic rasp, while is aptly sweet and summery, rounded out by buoyant flutes that suggest the fuller sound the band explores later. announces the band's newfound rock with strutting riffs, a promise make good on with the bluesy swagger and gospel singers of evoking both and -era . Of course, the band's members played in rock bands before forming , but it's to their credit that 's electrified sound has little to do with their previous work and that it sounds so natural, whether they chase the kinetic groove of or get smoky and mystical on That they sound equally at home on the gentle chamber folk of and the final, emphatic blast of shows just how balanced and dynamic they've become, and what an assured album is. ~ Heather Phares