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