Review

Indie rock's little princes come up with their most beguiling tunes.
With the indie boom in full swing, its little princes took a whack at alt-rock, though trying to write bigger tunes just meant they had a wider backdrop for their worries. Songs like "Range Life," "Silence Kit" and "Gold Sounds" turn quarter-life anxiety into classic California sunburn jams, filling in the melodic broad strokes with tired romance. "Say good night to the rock & roll era," Steve Malkmus sings near the end. What's so exciting is that he has no clue what might come next.