The sophomore release from San Francisco's the Court & Spark is an exercise in laconic country-pop, impressive for both its sweeping breadth of sounds and swooning melodies. As a forward-looking Americana band sharing some ground with bands like Lambchop and the Beachwood Sparks while not being nearly as acerbic as the former nor as psychedelic as the latter, the Court & Spark transcend the standard conventions of the genre to emerge with a completely modern product. Like every country-leaning rock band, they have endured comparisons to the Flying Burrito Brothers, whose Gene Parsons contributes vocals, banjo, mandolin, and guitar, but the Court & Spark seem to take such compliments with a certain degree of unease. Where lead vocalist M.C. Taylor has a classic country drawl, dripping with just the right amount of weathered twang, and the use of tremolo guitar, pedal steel, and banjo ensures that they don't stray too far from a Western-tinged pop aesthetic, the occasional unexpected percussion or humming keyboard adds an impressive sonic variation. Ultimately somewhat sun-faded texturally, the ten tracks move at their own lazy pace, with only the occasional brooding guitar solo or soaring pedal steel to break through the strangely uplifting drowsiness. So, even though the songs lack a certain giddyup, the moods are so magnificently constructed that the occasional lack of inertia is never a hindrance. Overall, a mature and undeniably realized set. ~ Matt Fink