is the most accomplished album have made, which isn't necessarily the same as the best. Picking up the clean, focused sound and attitude of , is gleaming : it may have a shiny production, but hits hard in its rhythm and its impeccably distorted guitars. 's songs often express (or at least suggest) tortured emotions in their lyrics, but the album doesn't hit at a gut-level; it's too polished for that. It's not a bad thing, since the band is damn good and the production is more focused than any of ' previous albums. The problem is, 's songwriting has slipped slightly. It's still sturdy and melodic, yet not as immediate or memorable. Nothing is as majestic as haunting as gut-crunching as or even as boneheadedly irresistible as their contribution to the . Instead, it all fits together and sounds good as a piece, without offering individual moments to savor. Not the worst tradeoff, of course, but it's hard not to wish that the songs stuck in your head the way they used to, even if the album is still enjoyable as a whole. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine