If 2009’s Begone Dull Care had a hint of bucolic urbanity in it at all, that idea has been scrapped by the Junior Boys on their latest album. While that album shared the idiosyncrasies of the previous two records, 2004’s Last Exit and 2006’s So This Is Goodbye, it didn’t have the same hurried rush of sexuality and showed a new level of restraint on the part of both vocalist Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus. It’s All True is a return to form, but also a step backward.

Like fellow electro-nerds Hot Chip, respect is due to Junior Boys for their obsessive production skills and ability to tinker with their own sound to produce something fresh. Problem is, for the first time in their careers, their sound is starting to wear a bit. “You’ll Improve Me” and “Second Chance” are indistinguishable as being from this album and not the last two, and “A Truly Happy Ending” employs the same backing synthesizer roll used in the Gorillaz “Stylo.” It’s little things like that which take away from the wildly original and inventive sound that they have otherwise cultivated and disappoint and detract from an album that is nearly as solid as anything they’ve done. Where they really succeed is on slow jams like “Playtime” and “The Reservoir,” where they are more inventive and poignant, showing us they’ve still got it instead of just telling us.

Despite all that, album closer “Banana Ripple” is the most fun, danceable song they’ve ever made. Coming in at just over nine minutes, the song builds on a steady groove until the end where Greenspan croons, “No you’ll never, no you’ll never see me go,” over and over until a long, quiet fade-out. It’s refreshing to see this band continue to do new things (despite the album being a little unbalanced) and it left me wanting more. If you’re a fan of the genre, definitely give this one a spin.

(Domino Recording Company, PO Box 47029, London UK   SW18 1WD)