Have belatedly discovered new wave? Probably not, but on their fourth album, 2020's , the Pennsylvania quartet have taken several steps back from the jangly, slightly rootsy indie rock sound that defined their early work. Instead, reflects a cooler, more processed approach dominated by vintage synthesizer patches and a spacious, echoey production that makes tunes like "Hey Jo," "Changing," and "My Only Ghost" feel like lost relics from the era of sideways haircuts. That doesn't reflect every song on the album, but when the mostly acoustic "Descend" ends with a cascade of layered atmospheric loops, and "Dancer" becomes crowded with clouds of saxophone and artificial ambience, there's no mistaking that were eager to take a new creative path on this album. While some groups sound uncertain when they set foot in uncharted territory, that's not at all the case here; is a bold, confident work full of passion and the desire to take chances. The production and arrangements on these songs may present some surprises for fans of , but melodically this is very much in their wheelhouse, heartfelt and rooted in everyday realities (when was the last time you heard a band sing with nostalgia about watching a cat being born?), and even at its most polished and sleek, boasts a very real and human heartbeat. Longtime fans may well be surprised by the surfaces of , but after a few listens it's clear this music has as much (or maybe more) that connects it to their past than that which separates it from their larger body of work. ~ Mark Deming