I read the press releases and they make me laugh. The shit they say about their artists is more wacked-out than the shit I say about their artists! "Mansun are one of those bands. A Smiths of a band, a Stone Roses of a band." I gotta start sending my resume out. In any case, why don't I tell you about this album?

I write these reviews, so it stands to reason that a lot of CDs come my way, right? So, I'm usually listening to like 10 CDs at the same time and I write about the first one that jumps out at me. That's how I work. So, last night, just before I go to bed, I throw this into my PC for a quick listen. My ears prick up. Damn. Densely packed, fuzzed-out guitars that deserve to be taken seriously. Well-balanced and rich dynamics. Hooks that kept my attention. Smatterings of subtly and well-placed electronica bits to spruce-up and surprise. Produced with maximum gloss and without a hint of amateurism. A well put-together disc with the right combo of ingredients falling somewhere between the expected and unexpected. Great lyrics. Yeah. When I awoke, I listened to it. When I got in from work, I listened to it. I am listening to it right now.

-James P. Wisdom