Ever since the Glass EP, they have seemed determined to produce nothing less than absolute perfection. I was disappointed by One Bedroom at the time, but time has revealed it to be the band's big turning point. Everybody was the return to basics and rejuvenation that they needed. And it's been balls to the wall clarity and streamlining ever since.
'Harps' is one of the band's attempts at being a dance-oriented combo. But, dancey and triumphant as it may be, it's still undeniably them. They have such a signature sound by this point, that even the most blatant attempts at "branching out" (for them) are amongst the most successful failures ever. And make no mistakes, 'Harps' is one of their absolute best songs ever.
But yeah: take that, contemporary radio.
At points, it almost feels like the band is just messing with us. Be it the ambient outro vamp on 'A Mere', the straight acoustic folk rock of 'Harbor Bridges' (overall, probably the band's best outright and most straightforward song so far— seriously), the majestic evolution of the two-songs-in-one 'The Invitations' or the Neil Young-obsessed 'New Patterns', I really don't think these guys didn't have a good laugh at just how all over the place this latest album is.
Luckily for them —and for us— it's absolutely wonderful music.
Having a hard time thinking of anyone that's currently better than them.
And just think: the Moonlight Butterfly was just a year ago.
It's so good, I can't help but laugh at points.
~Austin
Haha, they win!
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