Album: Band of Horses, Infinite Arms (Columbia)

Despite the critical approval heaped on Band of Horses' last two albums, both charted in the UK only after a recent appearance on Later.... Which puts this review-writing business in perspective.

We plough on regardless: Infinite Arms is (think Bread and the Eagles) soft-rock-country of the kind that might be bland if it wasn't precisely executed with perfect songs sung in thrilling can't-tell-'em-apart harmony. It's the sound of a band settling into their comfort zone, but that's not always such a bad thing, right?