For most of the '90s, seemed resigned to being just a part of 's mythology: a lightning-in-a-bottle success story that helped define the era's sound and spawned a classic single before disappearing into substance abuse and a severe case of writer's block. By the end of the decade, hearing new material from and company seemed about as likely as a new album, so the fact that , their long-awaited return, exists at all seems more than a little miraculous. In a weird way, the long, long wait for them to resurface works in their favor -- at this point, it's welcome to hear anything from them. After a nine-year (!) wait, a new album is just a nice addition to what's going on in instead of its salvation. From its very name, (journalistic shorthand for "title to come") reflects this: it's a surprisingly low-key, self-effacing return that doesn't feel like an attempt at reclaiming 's glory. Instead, it blends the stripped-down sounds of and ' into a collection of strangely intimate, feminine . 's quick- and cheap-sounding production throws a spotlight on the weathered, offhand quality of 's voice -- which is more sandpaper than sugar nowadays -- as well as every quirk in the band's playing. Even revved-up guitar rushes like have a little vulnerability lurking around the edges, and on the sweet it sounds like you're in the garage with the band. There's a fascinating duality to , from the way that nearly every song mixes and blends 's and 's not-quite-identical vocals to the way it switches between sweet, playfully spiky songs like and dark, mysterious tracks. With its brooding, druggy allure, recalls 's and the aptly named have a sexy menace that haven't explored since 's first single, is about as far from as the band can get, a dreamy, breathy that sounds intimate but masks its feelings in beautifully cryptic imagery. Very much a take-it-or-leave-it work, doesn't even try to live up to fans' inflated expectations of what a album should be -- though the band may not have spent the entire nine years they were gone crafting this album, it feels like the only album they could make after such a long wait. isn't always a flattering portrait of , but it is an admirably honest one. ~ Heather Phares