Even though I had owned and loved the previous and debut effort ‘How Long Are You Staying’ for over a year, this was the first time I had managed to see the quartet live. Along with The Locust and Battles, Charlottefield were the only other band I have seen with the drummer front and centre stage. However once the music starts, it is easy to understand why someone would argue that the drums in this band (and the other two aforementioned acts) could be seen as the lead instrument. Constantly changing rhythms are scattered around jazzy, syncopated fills which compliment the rest of the music perfectly.

Guitars start off sparse and distant, slowly building up, filling songs to the brim with jagged textures over the top of stop-start bass grooves and vocals that range from raspy howls to almost silent mumbles. Although I am quite partial to the heavier side of Charlottefield, it is the more delicate and textured tracks like ‘Late Repeat’ and ‘Broken Bell’ that really stand out and show how this band have grown as songwriters since the last album. These tracks are all about repetition and tension. The clever off-beats and grooves bring to mind Don Caballero, whilst the aggression and discordance has edges of Drive Like Jehu and Hoover.

The only thing that bothers me about this near perfect record is the end of fourth track ‘Pacifically’ which begins to fade out just as it peaks and really hits it’s stride. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that in 11 months time this will be topping many an “Album of the Year” list.