Idolator

I found the 'Fork's review to be unduly harsh. The album has some questionable moments, but those don't make it altogether horrible.

And the LA Times is thinking of downsizing its editorial staff? When they're churning out gold like that?

Side note: what exactly is an "extroverted song structure"? "A - B - A - LOOK AT ME RIGHT NOW OMGGGZ!" ?

On a standard graph, a perfect, steadily descending line would demonstrate exactly my enjoyment of this band from At Dawn to today.

Not my favorite record by one of my favorite bands.o

That being said, look for me in the second row at Radio City next week playing air guitar while my date tries to pretend like she's there with someone else.

Z was the greatest thing ever to me. I wanted Y. I didn't get it. I actually tend to agree with the 'fork review.

The whole thing is a rough road to go down. It's just one huge bad idea. I actually felt the Pitchfork review wasn't harsh enough. It Still Moves is still amazing though.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I can see where the Big Utensil is coming from. While I love the album, the first time I heard "Highly Suspicious," I knew it would be a polarizing song. Once again, I love the Prince/Bee Gees influence. But then, I also love peanut butter pudding surprise.

@cassidy2099: Don't see how the album is "a rough road to get down." I find it to be one of the most consistently likable albums from start to finish this year. If any album is taxing and grating it's the new Hold Steady. I was actually happy today when the tracks on MySpace started getting stuck.

All the haters need to get over it. I expect clueless, pretentious reviews from Pitchfork, but saying it isn't a solid album is horsesh*t. It's definitely their most mature release to date. Paste had a good review where they noted that James had been hanging out and performing with Yo La Tengo and that maybe it had made the album more adventurous. "Highly Suspicious" is really the only really odd song on the album, but it's done with a sense of humor. The rest of "Evil Urges" really tries to establish the band's identity. "Look At You", and "Sec Walkin'" are about as good as alt-country gets. And "Aluminum Park" is a great power pop gem. This album is obviously not going to sell millions, but it will make their name a little bigger.

"The imagery in 'Librarian,' a ballad about love among the stacks, is strikingly delicate."

I so don't want to know any more about this song, and I'm a librarian. Well, libratorr, but still.

"'Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me,' James sings wistfully"

Yep. That's original. Isn't that the kind of thing a reviewer should either mercilessly mock or politely gloss over?

When I first heard this record several months ago, I thought it was horseshit. Reviews started coming out saying to the contrary, but at least Pitchfork had the good sense to say "What the fuck?"