A copy of my "dj review":

Local “overlooked” for ten years mood rockers. Just a few guys who understand fuzz guit (but are anchored by acoustic ones), simple 4/4 rock beats, and understated vocals, to create lush and dreamy somehow simple but complex (?!) rock. Always way more popular elsewhere (esp. Europe) they keep a very low profile and seem like a 4AD band (the V23’esque cover art on this latest doesn’t help matters). I first saw them in ’93 headlining w/ His Name Is Alive at the Kennel Club. Appropriate bill, think along those lines. This release is more evolved and incorporates keys/electronics well. Their downbeat acoustic strumming is officially a trademark sound; nice to see it evolve so exquisitely. All great, all mostly mid paced. 1) mid 4/4 fuzzy guits, piano 2) acoustic guit centered but fuzzy, slower feel but picks up 3) nice use of organs/synth, piano, dark yet upbeat 4) more typical Swell acoustic/fuzz guit feel, bouncy and bright somehow 5) downtempo electronic beat and drone bass, simple and looping, dark 6) dreamy synth and melodic instrumental quite a turn for them 7) upbeat and poppy, think Pavement 8) trademark heavy fuzz beat counter-balanced by acoustic pop guit, this is Swell 9) swingy funky rhythm, samples, noisy upbeat 10) same swingy funky rhythm, darker but still poppy and upbeat, false ending @~30 sec remaining, brief acous guit thing 11) another swingy funky beat, this one more electro feeling and commercial 12) electronic feeling, brief w/ pretty synths, like pt 2 of track 6