Calico Review

After two albums of desert-parched, reverb-caked garage rock revivalism, it might seem like were due for some kind of drastic change. Apart from jumping from one cool record label ( ) to another ( ), the four guys in the band have maintained a steady course of minor-key jangle, relaxed -like balladry, and the occasional tambo-shaking rocker on their third record, . A lesser band with fewer sneaky hooks up its sleeve or a sound that wasn't as locked down as this one might have suffered for putting out three albums that have such a similar feel and sonic footprint. don't, and is easily the match of their first two albums, with lots of songs that stand out like lost '60s singles by a foppish British group ("Famous Phone Figure") or a rock-solid Texas punk band ("Could Be You") or the house band at a groovy Sunset Strip nightclub ("200 South La Brea"). Along with these, the quartet lays down a few nocturnal gems (the "Strange Heat," "Mausoleum"), some plaintive folk-rock ("Terra Ignota"), a bit of organ-heavy melancholia ("Place in the Sun"), and lots of tremolo and fuzz to help build the wonderfully heady atmosphere. There's nothing on haven't done before, but with each outing they seem to be more in control of their sound (making it fuller and more textured), their voices (which continue to get stronger and less snotty), and their gradually evolving songwriting. was pretty great garage rock revivalism filtered through a gently psychedelic filter; might be even better. ~ Tim Sendra