Hard Times Are in Fashion

Studiously building on the momentum brought forth by 2002's Social Life, the Midwestern collective Koufax returns with fanfare for Hard Times Are in Fashion. Jointly led by vocalist/guitarist Robert Suchan and songwriting partner/pianist Jared Rosenberg and enabled by various co-conspirators -- among them bassist/guitarist Ben Force, brothers Ryan and Rob Pope (drums and bass, respectively) -- the Elton John/Bernie Taupin of Generation W(ho Cares) pose many a question across the 11-track duration of Hard Times Are in Fashion.

Kicking hard from the gates is the urgency of "Why Bother At All." Armed with a mighty backbeat, Koufax show that their aim is true and, despite Suchan's claims otherwise, they're certainly not going underground -- a very nearly ambivalent observation on his generation's jaundiced apathy, all the more perversely relevant in this "AnotherFourYears?" era of alarm. Downshifting a couple gears are "Back Forth" and "Isabelle," two gems of sunny Cali-pop with a streak of wry menace. Then we're treated to the post-Traffic whiteboy funk-swagger of "Trouble Will Find You," perhaps Suchan's most disarmingly confessional song thus far. The more-blithe-than-thou "Colour Us Canadian" follows in kind, closing Hard Times Are in Fashion with a characteristically anti-hero chorus to swoon over.

"Lovably croaky frontman Robert Suchan makes merry, piano-driven tunes about weekend shut-ins and dying young. Swinging with the gallows humor of vintage Elvis Costello and the Cure." -- Spin "[Koufax] put Spoon to shame in the cheeky-piano-pop department." -- Jane