Cowards

Unfortunately not as gripping or exciting as their debut album, this latest Squid record sees them attempting a change in direction. Some of my critiques from their first album have been answered, the vocals are a lot more varied, but they tend to come off as a bit muted or too subdued. The whole record sounds very inspired by Radio head, which is fine, but doesn't work as well as one would hope. There are some good songs on here, but I have trouble finding one without flaws (Well Met possibly being the exception, which is interesting cause it sounds nothing like previous Squid songs). There's standout moments or sequences which sounds fresh and exciting but they're a bit too rare and the record as a whole suffers. Feels like a transitional moment in the band's discography and I hope they'll find some firmer ground to stand on in their next release. Favorite tracks: Well Met, Showtime!, Cro-Magnon Man