Everything at Once

Over the span of almost three decades, Scottish indie rock stalwarts have persevered, both holding faithful to the sound that they helped break into the U.K. mainstream in the '90s and rocking long enough to watch their sonic progeny spread their wings and fly off in various artistic directions (see: , ). And through it all, remained reliable, seldom veering too far from the center. On their eighth album, -- a long-form commentary on modern life in the 21st century -- they revive familiar sounds and also push themselves into more cheerful and unencumbered directions. Vocalist 's voice remains tender as ever on plaintive throwbacks like the strumming "All of the Places" and the warm "What Will Come," both of which would fit seamlessly on or . Rougher-edged moments like the '90s nostalgic "Radio Song" and the -lite Wild West epic "Paralysed" sidle up nicely with the darker , their heaviest album to date. The highlights are the three most surprising tracks on . "Magnificent Time" -- inspired, in part, by 's -- is a positively ebullient number that bursts with joy. Within the discography, it's a bit jolting -- think "Selfish Jean" with a lot more sunshine -- but the band's happiness is infectious. The title track, penned by bassist , injects a funky strut to the album, with a slinky bassline and speak-singing reminiscent of / -era . "Idlewild," a magical duet with English singer/songwriter , pops up toward the end of the album. There's a slightly disconcerting tone, despite the gorgeous manner in which and trade off verses, like a less scary version of duet with . The album closes with the uplifting radio-ready -meets- "Strangers on a Train." All at once, it reflects both the bands that influenced them and the ones that they have influenced over the years. The album's title may refer to modern society's urge for instant gratification, but it also provides a symbolic nod to what have done over the course of their career. is their liveliest and most lighthearted effort to date, a celebration of both their legacy and their maturity. ~ Neil Z. Yeung