Sparta are a band who had all the earmarks of success when they released their debut effort "Wiretap Scars" in 2002. Featuring former members of the much-heralded At The Drive-In, many expected the group to become instant superstars and yet widespread fame and commercial success seemed to elude them. While they definitely made their mark, they never did fully manage to escape the shadow of both their previous outfit, and the new ensemble comprised of their other ex-bandmates, The Mars Volta.

Their new sophomore outing "Porcelain" appears to be an uncalculated attempt at rectifying this. Where "Wiretap Scars" felt thin and unsure, "Porcelain" instead delivers organic-sounding depth and confidence. As a result the songwriting featured here is much more advanced and encompassing than the rather flat and scatterbrained material that lined their initial release. With their energy now managed more astutely, the group are able to mesh faint traces of prog dreaminess with ambitious licks of indie rock to greater effect. Ultimately Sparta remain the most restrained of the post-At The Drive-In projects, but thanks to the determined agility they exude their material still remains enticing.

One thing that sticks out on this release is the viable sense of maturity and weathered sensibility it contains. The band have settled down but by no means have they settled in and it is this attitude and demeanor that puts them more in league with grandiose acts like U2, rather than that of their shoe-gazing contemporaries. Although it does see them still finding their footing, "Porcelain" shows this Texan quartet making greater strides at establishing their own distinct identity. Such a claim is dutifully backed up by the stronger focus and lack of recklessness exhibited. The bands methodical implementation of sweeping instrumentation would also attest to such a fact, especially when the extra orchestration in the form of strings is factored in. Ultimately this album does have many slow points and in turn it can be a bit tedious on the psyche if one isn't in the mood for slow-paced melancholy. But unlike their past efforts, there is a tangible sense of heart, intelligence and expression throughout that regally carries it onward to the end.