THE COURIER

I was very intrigued when I heard this for the first time. I expected it to be something like any of the six previous releases MBO has put out, and instead, it was totally different. Where those albums, and especially their other feature length album "Idiot Jones Will Have His Day" were often punchy, aggressive, occasionally even grating, this is sedate, occasionally even bordering on ambient music. Many songs are even reminiscent of Kraftwerk, not necessarily in the way they sound but in the way they are constructed, with one thing looping while other sounds are added on top of it. It's a fascinating departure from their earlier sound, and it works incredibly well. While I gave "Idiot Jones" three stars as well, this is definitely the more interesting album, and surely the one that I will listen to more often. However, you still aren't missing anything absolutely necessary here if you fail to pick it up, so "Good, but non-essential" seems appropriate. However, as I wrote in my review for "Idiot Jones," they're giving it away for free, so what have you got to lose?

3/5