Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: "Some Loud Thunder"

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah has never been a band for the masses. Their self-titled debut was fairly good, but the album's hype far outlasted it's replay value. Though laced with great songs like "Heavy Metal" or "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth," once the initial appeal wore off, there wasn't much to keep you coming back. So the band is faced with a dilemma. How do you follow up one of the most-hyped indie releases of the last decade? The band's answer is "Some Loud Thunder," a respectable sophomore album from a band that proves that they are more than hype.

That being said, "Some Loud Thunder" isn't really a departure for the band either. It seems as if little musical progress has been made between their debut and their second album. Most, if not all, of these songs could easily have been placed on their debut without interrupting the flow of the album . But "Some Loud Thunder," while lacking the initial magic of the first, does have some terrific songs on it. "Mama, Won't You Keep Those Castles in the Air and Burning" is really the first standout song on the album, followed soon enough by the perplexing, yet enchanting, "Satan Said Dance." The latter of the two is my personal favorite on, and one of the greatest songs Clap Your Hands Say Yeah has released. "Goodbye to the Mother and the Cove" has a surprisingly soft, subtle sound to it and it eventually builds into a semi-anthem, carried by sweeping harmonies, while "Underwater (You and Me)" utilizes a steady rhythm and bass line to create an enthusiastic sing-along feel.

When it's all said and done, not much has changed with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. People who had the opportunity to listen to their first album and enjoyed it will find little to complain about here. Though I would have liked to see a musically different album, hearing the band rely on their formula yet again isn't as disappointing as it should be. After all, their unparalleled sound is part of the reason that the band is so beloved. That being said, if you weren't a fan of their first album, you may want to pass this one up. If you are new to the band, there's no better way to be introduced to the quirky sounds of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah than by picking up a copy of their album and giving it a spin.

Recommended for fans of Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, and anyone who wants to hear some of the most peculiar music around today.

Key Tracks:
1. "Mama, Won't You Keep Those Castles in the Air and Burning"
2. "Satan Said Dance"
3. "Underwater (You and Me)"

6 out of 10 Stars