This isn't a bad album, but something is a bit off. It has a harshness to the sound that grates on you after a while. I love rhythm and these guys are all about rhythm as drums play a critical roll in their sound, but there is a hollowness and emptiness to the overall sound that is so harsh after a few tracks. I would say these guys are heavily influenced by XTC, but XTC managed to create a soul inside of their angular music while these guys just seem to have the angles. Perhaps it's the lack of bass to add some warmth to the sound. The bass is so muted you barely notice it exists.
You could easily pick a track for a mix tape, but it's hard to see a time I would put this album on.
Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad.
To your point about XTC, "Mayor of Simpleton" rates as one of the all-time, I-bought-the-whole-album-for-this-one-song songs.
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