Dead Legs & Alibis

East London quintet Dark Captain (formerly known as the twice-as-time-consuming-to-say Dark Captain Light Captain) released their debut full-length Miracle Kicker in 2008 to critical praise across the board. Late last year, the band disembarked the relentless carousel of budget flights, punctual soundchecks and questionable service station snack food to record their follow-up. Dead Legs & Alibis is the shimmering, restless result of these endeavors. Existing devotees of the band's brushing, down-tuned acoustic guitars, close vocal harmonies, electronic pulses and estuary-accented recriminations will find the claustrophobic, early-hours confessionals that characterized Miracle Kicker are still present. This time, however, they're pleasingly offset by the type of soaring, motorik full-band grooves that mark Dead Legs & Alibis as a more varied and organic proposition than its predecessor. Dark Captain will be playing shows in support of their new record throughout the remainder of 2011, and are already writing and recording new material for yet another album, due next year.