And to tell you the truth, I hated it at the first listen. It is bubbly and effervescent. It is completely whimsical. Is this a new genre of music I am unfamiliar with beyond being "indie pop"? There seem to be several young bands that fit this vein - fun., Young the Giant, MGMT - synth heavy bands that seem lackadaisically carefree.
After a few listens, however, it did start to grow on me. This album will never one that finds heavy rotation on my phone. However, I do find myself tapping my finger to these songs if they come on.
Nothing much needs to said about the anthems that get quite a bit of radio time - "Take a Walk" and "Carried Away". These frothy tunes are definitely music for skipping down the flowery path. More noteworthy are the slow jams, "Constant Conversations" and "Cry Like a Ghost". There are spritely electropop songs like "Mirrored Sea" and "Where We Belong". My favorite track is "Hideaway".
So the best thing that can be said about this album is that I no longer hate it. It's okay. But with the ubiquitous sound that this band - and other bands - seem to engender indicates to me that, soon, old age will overtake me, newer music will seem irrelevant to me, and I will fail to appreciate it or understand it. And that, my friends, is a scary thought. Excuse me while I go and listen to some Smiths.
