The duo has softened their edge with each subsequent album. Perhaps that's another reason for a small backlash against the band, with the typical indie obsession that somehow a band that appears in an AT&T commercial is now mainstream (despite being largely unknown to the typical Top 40 listener). The truth is Re-Arrange Us is an accessible pop album, and delightfully so. Lead-off single "Get Better" is a perfect summer hit, building from an insistent piano and Gardner's lithe vocals to a glorious crescendo of "Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better" backed by Hammel's percussion and the rising strings of a cello.
The next track, "Now," is an uptempo number that would have fit in perfectly with Bring It Back. The album proceeds with these uptempo, sing-song numbers through the satisfying first half of the album, until it slows down with "Blue and Gold Print," the only truly slow song on the album, and the weakest effort of the bunch. The latter half is mellower, yet still uptempo enough to encourage toe-tapping, highlighted by "Help Help."
My biggest knock on Re-Arrange Us is its brief 35 minute running time. The lean record avoids unnecessary filler, but also has the effect of being over not long after it begins. Another couple of songs would have served the effort better, making it feel less like EP despite its ten tracks. But the 35 minutes they do offer are generally strong, bolstered by a strong first half of pleasing pop songs that should please fans while putting a smile on their face.
Track Listing:
1. "Get Better"
2. "Now"
3. "My Only Offer"
4. "The Re-Arranger"
5. "Jigsaw"
6. "Blue and Gold Print"
7. "Help Help"
8. "You Are Free"
9. "Great Dane"
10. "Lullaby Haze"
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