Boasting a slightly sharper production (courtesy once again of
Drive Like Jehu drummer Mark Trombino) and more desperate sound than its predecessor,
Knapsack's third album sounds like what it was -- a great band making their somewhat angry final record. Criticized for sameness in the past,
Knapsack attempts to stretch out a bit more on This Conversation, with some degree of success. Ultimately, though, what made people like the band was what the band delivered: straightforward, no frills emotional rock. While certainly not groundbreaking, they did it remarkably well. ~ Josh Modell