Previously categorized in my myopic world (and possibly yours as well) as “a band I cared for in 2003,” this medical outfit have released their fifth LP, reminding me that these creative and consistent Liverpudlians don’t deserve that categorization. The band’s sound has expanded somewhat, although the guitars still have odd timing as well as reverb that grants a faraway sound. Singer Ade Blackburn sounds almost sweet on opening song “Memories,” his voice at times being muffled by his urgency. The same happens in the dramatically different acoustic (at first) “Tomorrow,” which brings to mind the Velvet Underground in its deliberate, steady path to a noisy end, while the falsettos of “Shopping Bag” gel well with its aggressive nature, creating a crisp, chaotic and squealing gem that could be the album’s best track. The rest of the record is typical of the group: foreboding, mysterious and to-the-point. Not a bad look for band who’ve passed the 10-year mark.

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