!!! -- Myth Takes

Oh man, can you hear it? It's that damn Disco beat. But while I usually want to jam freshly sharpened pencils into my ears and consequently feel the blood gently trickle down my cheeks any time I hear regurgitated, uninspired dance music (see: The Bravery or The Killers), !!! utilizes a dynamic myriad of quirky instrumentation and harmony to spurn a solid romp of satisfying, head-nodding tunes. Since the release of its brilliant, catchy self-titled album in 2000, the seven-man entourage has continued to churn out the bass lines while experimenting with its atmospheric, entrancing sound. The group's stellar sophomore release, Louden Up Now, works more outside of the typical songwriting structure as the songs transform into mesmerizing eight-minute dirges that sound as if they were written inside a room constructed solely of bricks of marijuana. !!!'s Myth Takes, though, positions itself somewhere in between the band's previous efforts. The title track and "All My Heroes Are Weirdos" immediately tempt you into the music's enjoyably decadent setting, and the rest of the album effortlessly sweats to keep you dazed under a shroud of rhythmic hooks. While the hackneyed lyrics might leave a little to be desired, the groove of Myth Takes is so alluring that they quickly become an afterthought when inhaling the entire scope of the album. The infectious harmonies of !!! repeatedly prove that it is possible to create compelling, intricate dance music. That's right, there might be hope yet. (KW) Grade: A-