Take Pride in Your Long Odds

While Centro-Matic haven't returned to uber-prolific mode (this a band that managed to drop nine albums in eight years between 1998 and 2006), the three-year gap that separated 2011's Candidate Waltz and 2014's Take Pride in Your Long Odds suggests Will Johnson and his crew are getting a bit of their old focus back, while the music finds them in fine form. Though the alt-country accents have gradually faded from the band's musical approach, Take Pride in Your Long Odds finds their knack for smart, inventive indie pop is as strong as ever, and this music sounds heartfelt and organic regardless of the band's fondness for lo-fi electronics and the arty meanderings of the title track. This album isn't quite the self-help guide the title might suggest, but making the best of tough circumstances does seem to be a recurring theme on Take Pride in Your Long Odds, as Johnson offers solace to a disappointed woman on "Every Mission," encourages a positive attitude despite bad luck in "Calling You