This second effort from
Figurines is enough to make a listener do a double take. The Danish fourpiece sounds almost exactly like
Modest Mouse. If Isaac Brock isn't providing the vocals, it's his Copenhagen equivalent. Album closer "Release Me on the Floor" is the greatest offender or the finest copy, depending on one's viewpoint. But
Figurines don't place all their eggs in one basket, finding lesser influence from
Pavement,
Built to Spill, and a myriad other Pacific U.S. bands. It's almost as if they've gone to their local listening library, picked a region of the world, and sought to mimic the artists from that area. But
Figurines do their impersonation well enough and with enough hooks and fine melodies to come out with a more than winning result. They add enough to the mix to be more of a
Lush to
My Bloody Valentine rather than a Yatsura to
Pavement. There's not a clunker in this batch of 14 sunshine-laden songs. And though some of the production is a bit too reminiscent of 1990s indie rock, the songs are strong enough and the attitude addictive enough to position
Figurines as more than an also-ran. ~ Tim DiGravina