If were the (a band that sounds very similar), would be their -- that is, a slightly more polished and accessible album than their last, showing the band tightening their reigns slightly and turning in some of their tightest, cleanest work to date. It's a genuine alt pop album, one that finds the former and current members of , , and more masterful than ever at churning out opaque, punchy melodies anchored by dry wit. College rock crossover potential seems evident, but, while looks to appeal to a broader audience than its predecessors, that's not to say that things are overly toned down or have lost their edge. Things have simply been made less convoluted by trimming off the extra fat. , like always, exercise a wide variety of styles, and show off their ability to change their dynamic range drastically from one song to the next. finds the group paying tribute to , but in a much more furious punk rock fashion, is a sweet little country slice about the circular nature of life, and is a relieving day dreamy space ballad ends the album. But as solid as these moments are, they're a little generic sounding in the overall context. The heart of lies in their true jams: immediate jingle-jangle pop songs with big, chunky choruses. And boy, there are a lot of them. ~ Jason Lymangrover