4x****
In a decade as unfocused as the 2000's, this album is as close to decade-defining as any I can think of. As with all of their albums, the variety yielded from one guitar and drums is impressive, though some songs do end up with similar sounding progressions, and the results are inconsistent at best. "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground"**** milks the soft-loud-soft to its fullest, a sort of super-distorted AC/DC. "I'm Finding It Hard To Be A Gentleman" is more varied, but sounds too similar and should have been placed later. The big single "Fell In Love With A Girl"****, this decade's Teen Spirit, still explodes out of the speakers. "Expecting" is almost Zeppelin-esque. These two songs set the tone for the rock songs, though there are forays into country and mariachi. "The Union Forever" has a creepy old horror movie feel with the organ and use of the devil's chord. "We're Going To Be Friends", which appeared in Napoleon Dynamite has an innocence similar to McCartney's "Blackbird". "Aluminum"**** isn't exactly profound, but its gushing feedback is pretty cool. "I Can Learn"**** is 50's influenced and moody. The piano-driven "This Protector" sets a fitting tone for the conclusion, though not a strong song melodically.
In a decade as unfocused as the 2000's, this album is as close to decade-defining as any I can think of. As with all of their albums, the variety yielded from one guitar and drums is impressive, though some songs do end up with similar sounding progressions, and the results are inconsistent at best. "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground"**** milks the soft-loud-soft to its fullest, a sort of super-distorted AC/DC. "I'm Finding It Hard To Be A Gentleman" is more varied, but sounds too similar and should have been placed later. The big single "Fell In Love With A Girl"****, this decade's Teen Spirit, still explodes out of the speakers. "Expecting" is almost Zeppelin-esque. These two songs set the tone for the rock songs, though there are forays into country and mariachi. "The Union Forever" has a creepy old horror movie feel with the organ and use of the devil's chord. "We're Going To Be Friends", which appeared in Napoleon Dynamite has an innocence similar to McCartney's "Blackbird". "Aluminum"**** isn't exactly profound, but its gushing feedback is pretty cool. "I Can Learn"**** is 50's influenced and moody. The piano-driven "This Protector" sets a fitting tone for the conclusion, though not a strong song melodically.
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