Some argue that music is crap if it doesn't make you work, and in many cases that's true. There's a reason why Top 40 speaks to so many--- it's frequently the lowest common denominator. It'll appeal to a couple key drives and not really progress beyond that. But on the other hand, it's nice when there's a balance to be found-- an album that is far beyond merely decent or substantive, yet is clearly not trying to prove anything to anyone.

The Brakes do that well. You couldn't say that their latest release, Touchdown, is the some kind of groundbreaking, Earth-shattering addition to modern music, but it is remarkable in the sense of how accessible it is.  Lead singer Eamon Hamilton's vocals have a dry clarity to them that compliments the album's, chugging, steady burning sound.

Touchdown opens with Two Shocks, the best example of the previously described driving beat and vocals. It chugs, slows, builds and then cranks up the energy, slipping immediately  into Don't Take Me to Space (Man). The song is oddly optimistic. "Don't take me to space, man, I've had a taste of true love, I don't care that this world is corrupted, I don't want to be abducted."

The weakest spot is Red Rag, a minute and a half of incomprehensible crashing instrumentation and buried vocals that does nothing to further the album and if anything, detracts  because it feels out of place.

However, Worry About it Later, more than makes up for it, being quick and catchy with some really cool repetition of consonant sounds in the verses, plus it has a pleasant air to it.

Award for best philosophy reference goes to Eternal Return. It's almost ironic, given how depressing Nietzsche can be, that a song of such a name would find a home on an album that breathes so well, especially when the song itself has a such a jumpy beat with a dash of country flair.

The quirkiest cut on the album is Ancient Mysteries, chronicling a bizarre story of a guy who learns the story of some ill-fated love story, from a swami while in the Poconos. A tad bizarre, but fast-paced and under two minutes.

Hey Hey is harder edged and is the last big boom on the album before album closer, Leaving England. It's a melancholy-tinged track with mournful "ooh"s in the background.

Perhaps Touchdown won't be on eternal return on the stereo, but it's definitely going to be on rotation for a while.

Release date: 20/04/09
Label: Fat Cat
Artist website: www.myspace.com/brakesbrakesbrakes

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