Do Make Say Think have been taking steps forward with each subsequent release - their self-titled debut was a sprawling sort of jazzy post-something, and their significantly better follow-up Goodbye Enemy Airship had a more refined and immediately memorable sound. Their third album, 2002's & Yet & Yet, was the ultimate refinement of the band's sound into horribly catchy and gorgeously complex post-rock fused with pop melody - unfortunately, their latest, Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn, while most likely a step forward in substance of some kind, is ultimately a step back in overall enjoyability.

It's not a bad album, though. In fact, it's quite good overall. "Fredericia" is one of the band's best songs, and several of the album's later songs - "Auberge Le Mouton Noir", "Ontario Plates", etc - have in them parts that are excellent. But throughout the album, with a few exceptions, I couldn't help but wish it were more like its predecessors.

Fans of the band, buy this album. You will love it. It is, overall, reasonably great. But if you haven't heard Goodbye Enemy Airship or & Yet & Yet yet, they're better alternatives.