Has there ever been a songwriting machine to rival They Might Be Giants or one that comes up with such consistently hooky, happy tunes, even when the subject matter is a bit dark and bent?
The goofy black humour of You're On Fire kicks off another polished set, highlighted by Call You Mom, Too Tall Girl, the tribute number Tesla, the science-fiction sway of Replicant and the folk jazz horror of The Darlings of Lumberland.
There are more serious displays of maturity in Lost My Mind and the gentle Sometimes A Lonely Way, while Black Ops ("A holiday for secret cops") is as close as they will come to being political, and there are the usual oddball fragments of songs, including a big clump right in the middle of the album.
Best tracks: Circular Karate Chop, The Darlings of Lumberland.