Nashville's
De Novo Dahl screwed itself with a debut album—2005's Cats &
Kittens—that
included not only a staggering 16 songs, but mediocre jokey remixes for every
last one. By that standard, the 52-minute sophomore follow-up is downright
zippy. The opener/lead single "Shout" is the kind of self-tutoring pop song
that allows for chorus scream-alongs almost immediately. Other songs are more
complicated: Grabbing some of Squeeze's fluid twists, DND deepen the sound with
production that makes everything seem epic and cavernous, even when it isn't.
That means the often-distinct songs can blend together on first listen, but the
sharpest hooks—the frenzied "Make Some Sense" or Arcade Fire-size ballad
"Marketplace"—still stand out. At heart, DND is kind of a punk band with
energetic live shows that strip down songs to the simplest elements, but it's
also the kind of punk band that understands that yelping and fast tempos will
only go so far.