All in all, the album is a good one, but still feels a small step away from being great.

Almost as solid as their last full-length, even as it makes a couple slight departures from their sound.

This is one of the more straightforward and brutal assessments of people and relationships that I've heard in awhile, all set to vaguely dreary music that is pretty impeccable in construction.

Push The Heart is easily the most developed batch of songs from the group, easing through ten assured tracks of soft orchestral pop.

It's not the sort of release that throws a lot of curveballs, but Saturnalia is nonetheless a solid album from two veteran musicians.

Overall, a small step up for the group, but not quite the masterpiece that they might very well be capable of.

The group largely plays around in well-established territory melodically and musically, but it's the small twists and slightly more upbeat tempo that make the release feel more exciting than their past efforts.

If you didn't like Joan Of Arc, this album still might not win you over, but it definitely strays away from the sheer oddness of their last couple releases.

Several of the shorter tracks feel like little more than filler.

There's still plenty to enjoy, but it's by no means a smooth ride.

Probably the biggest complaint could be that the group has tightened up their sound even more on this release, leaving behind even more of the roughshod qualities that made their earlier discs blister with such energy.

Like Belle And Sebastian, one of the main weaknesses of the group is that they're just to darn precious at times for their own good.

As it stands, Black Sea is a solid, if not entirely groundbreaking.

With twelve songs running just about an hour in length, Random Spirit Lover really starts to wear out its welcome during the latter third to quarter. Fans of their past work will definitely find lots to love here, and they will likely gain a few converts, but I still wish they'd focus a bit more.

It's true that if you've listened to a lot of kraut music, you've probably heard a fair amount of work like this, but Reinhardt has put together a lovely little release here that's topped off with some great artwork and design.

This one plays out slowly. There's no real rhythms to speak of, and it's easily one of the more harsh releases (at times) that I've heard from the Kranky label in some time.

After multiple listens, there are certainly a batch of songs that rise like cream to the top, and while the release doesn't have seriously low points, it's not as solid throughout as the best work from the group (especially towards the end).

The quiet/loud, quiet/loud thing has been going on for a long time now, and while Mono has things in common with everyone from Mogwai to the aforementioned groups, they're definitely one of the better bands I've heard doing this in a while.

If you're a fan of work by the Animal Collective, you'll probably want to check this out, but keep in mind that you'll need a little patience.

Easily the crowning achievement of their short lifespan thus far.

Even though it's downright schmaltzy at times, Sun, Sun, Sun is such a warm, inviting record that I've found myself going back to it time after time.

While it's sometimes a rambling mess, The Story Is In The Soil... sounds like one of those releases that was both cathartic and damn fun to put together.

While it may turn off some people who were fans of his earlier, acoustic work, it also shows that he has the chops to do a full-fledged rock album.

In the end, Parc Avenue finds a band creating some amazing music, but still putting out some feelers along the way.

There are plenty of polyrhythms, but not much to hum along with. A big step up from their debut, this one will be much loved by riddim heads.

In the end, it's not as excellent as their early work, but still pretty entertaining.

Having heard their first EP, it's not quite as much of revelation as it would have been, but it's still pretty darn good.

It's a kick in the pants debut, and here's hoping they carve their own unique sound out even more in the future.