On its third – and best – album, the group has not exactly abandoned its need to stretch out. You can hear it in the Blue Jay Way drone of the song 2010, which opens Side B (even the CD is, on paper, divided into two sides) and in the album closer, Runaways, a stormy, bombastic piece that atypically eschews melody in favour of atmosphere but still sounds compelling.
With its sense of invention, dynamics that keep things interesting throughout and a refreshing knack for songcraft, The End of That is the most optimistic of new beginnings.
