Since their humble beginnings on Premiers Symptomes, their 1997 debut EP, Air haven't striven for much more than to bring a French flavor to spacy electronic pop. Even back then, this was by no means an original concept. Hundreds of bands-- Stereolab, Dimitri from Paris, Komeda, etc.-- preceded Air with Bacharachian melodies and Moog hisses scattered throughout their albums like trademark logos. But while their predecessors carried themselves on kitsch value and band-of-the-moment media praise, Air seemed somehow more serious about their music.

Is the world really interested in another Air release, though? Premiers Symptomes and Moon Safari, while intriguing albums for their genre, were somewhat similar in mood and direction. Both showed a band whose intent was to create instrumental French space-pop, and not much else. And with the "French space-pop revolution" pretty much over and done with, what could a new Air record possibly offer that the duo hasn't already accomplished?

Well, from the sound of The Virgin Suicides, the score to Sofia Coppola's directorial debut, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel have a bit more to achieve before their 15 seconds tick to a close. Though the record does aim for the same kind of prog-rock atmospherics as their earlier releases, Air have managed to alter their sound this time out, drawing from a wider array of rock influences, instead of limiting their scope to Perrey and Kingsley.

Godin and Dunckel have a larger arsenal of instruments here. The bulk of the equipment implemented still seems to be a diverse assortment of analog keyboards, but Air also incorporate those dependable traditional rock instruments, guitar and bass. It's a marked improvement from the synth surplus of their previous material. The band also seems more influenced by the melodic psychedelic rock of the late 60's and early 70's than before. There are distinct nods to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and especially the Beatles' Abbey Road. The Beatles' influence is most notable on "Bathroom Girl," "Cemetary Party," and "Highschool Lover (Theme from 'The Virgin Suicides')," during which several of the drum fills and guitar squalls sound almost directly snatched from Abbey Road.

Of course, The Virgin Suicides has its dry moments, but surprisingly, they're few and far between. For the most part, the album showcases Godin and Dunckel's dramatically improved songwriting skills. The majority of these 13 tracks actually feature a true rarity for rock music these days-- unpredictable chord progressions. And the album undeniably serves its purpose: it's a film score. The fact that it holds your attention, despite being created solely as incidental music, says something about the guys playing it. Whether we want to admit it or not, Air are pretty good at what they do. Still, the backlash is well underway at this point, and it seems doubtful they'll hold up quite as well by the time their "official" follow-up to Moon Safari sees release later this year.

-Ryan Schreiber