The Reindeer Section

Son of Evil Reindeer (PIAS America)
by Tim Den

The Scottish supergroup return, barely a year after the debut album. Whereas the debut seemed rushed and messy, Son of Evil Reindeer sees the 27-headed monster paying more attention to vocal hooks, cutting back the “lo-fi” gibberish, and coming up with far superior songs. Finally, The Reindeer Section (which includes members of Mogwai, Idlewild, Belle & Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub, Arab Strap, Snow Patrol, and a slew of others) have learned to shepherd all the members’ talents toward a disciplined goal. Songs like “Grand Parade,” “Strike Me Down,” and “I’ll Be Here When You Wake” conjure flashes of chic ’60s Britain: Minimalistic yet hip, trendy yet folksy, soft and whispery yet luscious. A flowing album that I just can’t seem to stop listening to.
(http://www.pias.com)