Oh man this was a bad review. I apologize to the band, and to Yeti.
The sextet craft catchy, often piano or drum driven melodies, capped off by strong vocal performances. Unfortunately, as the record progresses, it becomes difficult to differentiate the songs all too well as they begin to melt into an extended dance-inducing mess. It's not necessarily that every song sounds the same. It has more to do with the fact that the album as a whole progresses sloppily into itself. The songs are all tangents of each other, going on a different path, but always of the same origins. The band attempts slight variations of the formula, such as in songs like "I Used to Complain Now I Don't" and "Navy Wife" which have more happy, tropical melodies. "March of the Camels", "Fort Nightly" and "Tourist Trap" also make slight changes to the formula, however, those don't turn out so well.
Songs like "Kids on my Shoulders", "The Plot" and "While We Go Dancing" all take advantage of the catchy straight forward module and it's in these three songs that the band shine, becoming all three of the album highlights. The songs make good use of the bands ability to write playful piano melodies, memorable choruses and turning an incredibly simple beat into a wonderful sing-a-long tune ("Reprise" even showcases that, recording a hearty group sing-a-long to the chorus of "Kids on my Shoulders"). In the bands attempts to stray from the path that these songs set, the results aren't too great. "March of the Camels" slows it down slightly, features a chorus of children, and overplays the creepy vibe by a long shot, making the song a task to listen to, rather then a pleasure. "Fort Nightly" features a somewhat carnival vibe to it, like something you'd hear as you walked through a freak show, with the constant 'ooohs' in the background and the constant marching drums.
