Review by Dan:

Sombre second offering from the reflective quintet, with Guy Garvey mulling over everything from the romantic to the rueful. Slow, deliberate opener “Ribcage” and strings accompanied “Fugitive Motel” sandwich the Coldplay-esque “Fallen Angel”, with the taut undertones running through the majority of the songs creating a very solemn, edgy atmosphere. I was initially disturbed by the aggressive, pseudo elephant roar in “Snooks (Progress Report)”, but then came to realise that this was a song you would be able to relax to under African skies. I enjoyed the upbeat, strumming “Buttons and Zips”, but “Grace Under Pressure” would be my favourite, majestic and choral over a basic dance floor beat (the choral effect being provided by Glastonbury’s 2002 crowd). However, this isn’t an album to listen to if you want to dance around – it’s more one to get lost in your thoughts to.