Reviewed by Paul S Ganney

Relient K are, of course, rock at the pop end of the spectrum - more Dandy Warhols than Slipknot - and after a lengthy sabbatical are now firing again on all cylinders. 'Air For Free' is chart-friendly, complete with Coldplay-esque piano trills. This is their 11th studio album so, as you might expect, Matt Thiessen and friends show plenty of studio craft with tight playing and spot-on production. "Happy and summery" would be a good way to describe their sound, reminding me a bit of Dodgy in their more optimistic phases, but definitely modern in the feel of 5 Seconds Of Summer. There's even a little latter-day Madness feel around too, no more so than on "Elephant Parade" and odd bits that reminded me of Abbey Road-era Beatles too. But enough of spot-the-influence. Lyrically Thiessen weaves his way between straightforward statements of faith ("I believe in God") more oblique and intriguing metaphors ("Mrs Hippopotamuses"). All in all, a skilled set of pop rock from the Ohio-based hitmakers.

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