Seafood - Paper Crown King

The fifth studio album from indie-rock survivors Seafood is the work of a band who have grown into and settled upon a sound. Although at first this may disappoint fans who enjoyed the split-personality approach to their earlier albums, the fact that this is more coherent and mature album makes for a more involving, satisfying experience with repeated listens. The poppier moments of Signal Sparks and Little Pieces are balanced by the Seafood staple acoustic number, Awkward Ghost; a bleak, bitter and distinctly British soliloquy from David Line. There is less distortion at play here, although a pleasing amount of room for solos and grander musical interludes than these guys are usually given to prevents a complete change to college-rock. Between The Noise PT2 goes briefly back to their grungier roots and title track Paper Crown King has an echo of Pavement in the unpredictable guitar work, but despite these comparisons, this is British indie at its best. [Caroline Hurley]