This third record from England's critically acclaimed Auteurs effortlessly beats the living piss out of its predecessors. I can say this with utmost assurance because I've heard those other records and, while good, they did, at times, need the living piss beaten out of them.

A track that initially caught my ear on After Murder Park was "Child Brides," which, with its incredibly imaginative and ancient folk legend lyrics ("The child brides went down to the water/ Throw yourself at the tide/ I'll see you on the other side") are immediately convincing of frontman Luke Haines' talent.

However, Luke and I agree that the album's high point comes with "Unsolved Child Murder," whose lyrics and melodies are extremely reminiscent of late 60's Beatles balladry, yet unique enough to be more than just imitation. The stunning lyrics are based on an actual incident from his childhood that most folks can relate to ("People 'round here don't like to talk about it/ Presumed dead/ Unsolved Child Murder").

For the record, After Murder Park was recorded by Steve Albini, which usually means, from what I've heard, that the band did their own production and Albini merely rolled tapes. If that's so, maybe Haines could go on to do some impressive production work for other bands. The reverbs and effects create the perfect atmosphere for the music. Simply put, you just can't go wrong with an album like this.

-Ryan Schreiber