Here, the band is obviously buoyed by the straight-up tendencies of Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer.
Think of him as the trunk of a tree with many limbs, the other members riffing off him (and one another), the result a loosely framed party vibe, albeit a party that's over almost before it's begun.
Still, there are plenty of reasons to return, including Thunder Hearts, a rumination on love apparently inspired by an LA Times article about an act of thievery.
• Cold War Kids. Five Quick Cuts. Downtown Records.
• Four stars (out of five)
Single download: One Song At a Time
For those who like: Radiohead, The Stooges
- Shane Gilchrist
