Good Grief

Voices this vast require production just as epic and Shawn Everett (Weezer, Alabama Shakes, Julian Casablancas) brings the wattage of a Celine Dion Las Vegas spectacle without it feeling shallow or cheesy.

The result is song after song with earworm potential, finishing with a masterful four-song stroke that culminates in “Dusty Trails.”

Overall, in fact, the music on Good Grief isn’t as expansive as was “Wildewoman.” But it still comes across that way thanks to Wolfe and Laessig, who infuse their performances with a joy that’s almost unfettered, even when wallowing in pits of sorrow.

It’s all over the place, but in a good way. After all, when two people come together to create one identity, it makes sense for that identity to be a bit mercurial.

Pop music this shiny and smooth always captures our ears but rarely captures our hearts. Even if the same is true for the sticky sweet Good Grief, it provides a silver lining for Lucius to aspire towards.

With Good Grief, they continue to leave behind strains of indie-folk and increasingly trade stylistic sprawl for impeccably tight guitar-, synth-, and percussion-driven pop.

This a confident and beautifully made record and props for a band evolving their sound as any group with real longevity tends to do. There’s not quite the cohesive drama of their first effort but there’s plenty of gems to be found here.

The biggest constant here is the technical proficiency and complementary blending of the band's lead singers. The pair--who are notably also the album's sole songwriters--make a visual show of this, wearing matching clothes and hairstyles in performance. That quality ultimately overcomes any shifts in style, and also makes them hard to ignore.

While there are some moments of genuinely engaging songwriting early on, halfway through the mix of styles and genres becomes confusing and incoherent, making it feel incomplete.