Puzzles Like You

iTunes Editors’ Notes

Anyone accustomed to Mojave 3’s slow-building, pedal-steel western vistas channeled through its British sensibilities (which is to say, anyone who’s been a fan of the group) will be surprised to hear the sudden goose in the band’s collective step here. “Truck Driving Man” starts things on a decidedly upbeat note: rollicking away like a Chuck Berry/Beach Boys number, inviting you to surf the good times ahead. Say what? Mojave 3? Yes, call it "Life on Prozac," if you will. The title track follows as the album’s second cut and clocks in at 2:15! From a band that often couldn’t play or say anything in fewer than five minutes, its sudden ability to draw within economical lines is refreshing, since it hasn’t sacrificed a thing. Neil Halstead is a gifted writer who delivers songs that immediately stick to the ear. “Breaking the Ice” swirls with harmonies and an unabashed pop sense that aligns the group with affection for ‘60s AM radio and an imagined desert Americana. A few slow numbers (“Most Days,” “You Said It Before”) still lurk for those in need of a depressive fix.