[Released on Polyvinyl]

Words: Gareth O’Malley

We can’t help but wonder if Boris Yeltsin was ever aware of this band’s existence. If he had been, would he have approved of the name? It’s one of those questions that will never be answered - thanks to the ex-Russian President’s death in 2007.

We like it though. It seems to be a little like Marmite. We can certainly see why. However, you can’t argue with that artwork, and most would struggle to find fault with the Missouri quartet’s brand of sprightly indie-pop.

There is nothing complex about what these guys do, but then again there doesn’t need to be, as they have a wonderful ear for melody and a great way with a tune, as songs like the album highlight ‘My Terrible Personality’ show to great effect.

There are more subdued moments here, of course, like ‘Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro’, a great song that relies only on piano and acoustic guitar, but for the most part this is an uptempo, upbeat, uplifting listen. This is most certainly a return to form after the uneven sophomore record ‘Pershing’. ‘Back In The Saddle’? You’re telling me.

7.2