Once the band starts off "What Can I Do For You?," the album has a much different vibe. Illinois shows that it has mastered the faux-lazy style of bands like Dinosaur Jr. while relying on fresh instrumentation. "Headphones," for example, has the warm, grungy fuzz of a Dinosaur Jr. album, but also mixes some beautiful synthesizer sounds with melody and great harmonization. On "Screendoor," the band takes the sixties rock and roll styles popular with bands like The Shins, and makes it their own. Equally, "What Can I Do For You?" has a ballad feel that seems ready for radio.

But one of the best songs on this album is "One on One," which is both lyrically and musically tight. Of course, the band draws you in with the dizzying blend of synth and guitar, but by the end of the first verse, Archibald and company have the listener hooked.

The album ends with the hilarious "Bad Day," which takes the listener to a totally different place. "Bad Day" follow a fairly mundane story of a guy in his apartment in the middle of the day, with the band responding "I'm free." Archibald sings/speaks the lyrics of the song through a distorted microphone, giving it the effect of a telephone conversation. Musically, it's a hodge podge of sounds reminiscent of Modest Mouse.

Overall, Illinois released a great collection of music, and its diverse interests make What the Hell Do I Know an excellent experience. Although it is only a 7-song EP, the album feels whole enough. Of course, this band would sound great on a full-length album, but they have yet to release one. If there's anything Illinois needs to do, it's to figure out what they do best musically, hone in on it, and create a more unified sound. Then again, what the hell do i know?

Visit Illinois' Myspace page for more information on their tour and latest band news.