The Stills [ tickets ] arrived on the scene en masse with their 2003 debut "Logic Will Break Your Heart." Bolstered by the popularity of the then-current trend of retro-'80s fare, the band--along with a gaggle of like-minded groups--rose to the top of the "alternative" charts with their brand of synth/guitar powered Echo & The Bunnymen/Joy Division-flavored rock.

Nothing at all new or groundbreaking, but hardly offensive.

Fast-forward three years and the band is back with the release of "Without Feathers," and a different sound. How will this sit with their fan base? It's widely known that drastically changing one's signature sound can often be the death knell in a band's career (see: Primal Scream's follow-up to the widely popular "Screamadelica," and the second Stone Roses album). Here, The Stills hand more of the vocals over to their drummer and opt for a more homegrown approach than that of their debut.

That is all fine and good in theory, but what we are left with is a middle-of-the-road alterna-album--an unintentional ambient experience. Look for this to be playing at a Crate & Barrel near you.