Alt-J // This Is All Yours

Alt-J

This Is All Yours

Infectious

4 Stars

While some bands may fear the dreaded sophomore slump, Alt-J have some legitimate concerns about the reception of newest album This Is All Yours. That's what happens when the success of Alt-J's debut An Awesome Wave earned the band both critical and commercial success, won the Mercury Prize, and, possibly most damning for the British band, garnered them comparisons as the "next Radiohead." So, how did the trio from Leeds, England respond? They stripped things down, taking away a lot of the dark, twitchy grooves from songs like "Fitzpleasure" and settled for a more reserved sound. Of course, that doesn't mean Alt-J isn't afraid to still get weird, as evidenced on the shifty "Every Other Freckle," but the band also provides some lovely sonic tableaus, including "Bloodflood pt. II" and the band's "Nara" trilogy. This Is All Yours doesn't have as many memorable moments as An Awesome Wave, but it's a commendable sophomore effort.