Bishop Allen: Bishop Allen & the Broken String

Bishop Allen: Bishop Allen & the Broken String Brooklyn, New York indie pop act Bishop Allen return with their second full length studio album. The Broken String is the bands first release on Dead Ocean, a sister label of Jagjaguwar and Secretly Canadian. Ten of the twelve tracks are re-workings of selections from the 12 EP project the band did in 2006, as well as two new tracks. Bishop Allen are actually a duo who employ several musicians to add their individual flare to their songs. The songs most prominent instrument is acoustic guitar and vocals. They employ drums, trumpet, banjo and even xylophone but most of these instruments are used so sparsely that they are not noticeable unless you read the liner notes. Song writing wise Bishop Allen reminds me a lot of neo-folk artists like Bright Eyes or Tegan and Sara. Sometimes it employs a coyness that reminds me of Built to Spill. The result is an album that can be a little bland and you feel is not living up to its full potential. Occasionally, you feel like Bishop Allen could break out into a full twee circus circa The Boy Least Likely To, but they never do. In that sense the album is disappointing but otherwise I feel like the album fires on all cylinders more often than not. Rating: 7.0/10 MP3: Bishop Allen "Middle Management"