Label: Merge
Producer: Mike McCarthy
Release Year: 1999
Listen: Spotify / Apple Music
Just listening to the beginning of the album’s real first cut, “Mistakes & Regrets,” one might think these guys have mellowed on their sophomore release, but, as it turns out, they haven’t mellowed, just matured. Things are tightened up and more focus is placed on lyrics, vocals and melody on this release, but the pounding drums and deconstructed songs still remain. That means more variation and even a breathe every once in a while. There’s just more to connect with on this album, more to hold onto in terms of overall memorable tunes. Listening to this album in tandem with their debut and the follow up, Source Tags & Codes, their career arc is very clear. This is a huge step up from their first, and a perfect starting point into the masterpiece that is their third album.
