What I think I love most about Joan of Arc is that they have become the quintessential amatuer act, in that they have taken the ease and comfort of experimental, non-formulaic indie music and made it professional; the time shifts are abrupt but both smooth and effective, the guitars perfectly off kilter, the vocals exactly underrefined. They don't need to follow the standards, they've made their own, and So Much Staying Alive and Lovelessness flawlessly illustrates this, weaving through genres and moods with the greatest of ease. This is their best album since A Portable Model Of and, at moments, it even surpasses it.

The record is distinctly Joan of Arc, but with a strong backbone that was missing on previous records. The rhythm section on this album is an effective cross of the Doors and Karate, mixed with the soft angst and disturbing beauty of Kinsella's unique guitar work, moments of sedate funk, prohibition era jazz horns, with the strongest and most attuned drumming of their career. Often chaoticly mellow, and oddly reminiscent of 60's mellow rock, the album is an emotional rollercoaster, dipping, weaving, climbing and falling through so many small moments of nostalgic trance, just to drop into almost energetic depression.

Joan of Arc continue to redefine themselves as well as avante-garde indie-pop. If you've never heard them, this is a great place to start.

-todd berry