The dynamic dance-punk, indie-rock duo Matt And Kim return to the fray with another occasionally slick, fun-filled affair that proves, all in all, a touch hit-and-miss. Sidewalks, their third studio album, threatens to perpetuate a perceived mediocrity of their catalog to date. The trouble is, it's not difficult to understand just why this might be the case.

Predictably, the record is littered with the glistening synthesizer, and a dazzling array of effects that we've come to expect, granting an immediately apparent sugary element to the listening experience. But, the pursuit of all things bright and beautiful, this stubborn refusal to ever cast aside a sparkling chipper motif resigns the album to broken patches of success.  It's astounding to notice that the duo's obvious formula and melodic knack - despite contributing to some of Sidewalks best tracks throughout the early stages of the record - so often falters, falling short of the mark. It's a problem of so many records out there, it seems, this sustained attempt to recreate and repackage the working elements of a perceived 'best' offering, time and time again, into additional pieces that ultimately prove dilute and inept counterparts.

The introduction to Sidewalks is nice enough, featuring opener "Block After Block", a pumping, pulsating cut of R'n'B-inspired candy, ripe for radio play. Similarly, "AM/FM" seems a natural candidate for commercial success, should anyone actually tolerate what surely must be one of the most infuriating choruses ever committed to recording. The chorus of "AM/FM" is seriously remarkable in its delusion, its dysfunctional phonetics, creating a bizarre hook bound to prove, one suspects, more sneered at than celebrated. From there, the first single "Cameras" continues the trend, providing yet another brash pop delivery. So, three tracks in and you begin to get this nagging feeling you know what's coming next.

Disappointingly, your suspicions are confirmed with "Red Paint", "Where I'm Coming From", and "Good For Great" all bearing slightly different instrumentation, just barely, whilst boasting alarmingly similar emotional undertones. That's basically the biggest problem with Sidewalks: it seems to have one idea disguised over and over again with unequaled incompetence. With each buzz, each crash and each wave of synth, the monotony becomes a very real problem. Matt And Kim have crafted an album that is vacuous, inane, and worse still, truly relentless. There's far too much on Sidewalks you can simply do without. 

Imagine a bag of mixed lollies. Of course, there are candies you come to enjoy, others not so much. But imagine now you get no choice in the matter, and you have to keep eating regardless. So. Much. Candy. That, essentially, is the experience of Sidewalks listened to from start to finish. It's sickly sweet, and even considering its peaks, you get over it very quickly.

Review Score: 5/10