Underground Railroad’s previous LP, ‘Sticks And Stones’, had a distinctly 90s Seattle feel to it. On this record, however, the trio’s abrasive, grungy sound has all but given way to something more sophisticated and robust, without sacrifi cing any of their fi ery temperament or alternative edge. Their current penchant is for drama: sweeping melodies, complex production – most notably on the sprawling, nine-and-a-half-minute ‘Seagull Attack’ – dense, rich layers, and disarming intimacy, as on the Radiohead-esque ‘Ginkgo Biloba’. The whole album has a dark, cinematic feel, particularly in the eerie swagger of ‘The Black Widow’. A truly impressive return.

Polly Rappaport