Ambition is easily one of the defining qualities that can make or break a band, but in rare cases, it can also inspire some truly innovative music. Such is the case with Thinking Out Loud, an all encompassing act who take their predominant indie/lo-fi influences on an extended vacation, journeying through the plains of nerd rock, emo, drum and bass, prog rock, funk and much, much more. Similar to the likes of newer Cave In, At The Drive-In, The Juliana Theory and Weezer, the band have a solid foundation of gritty indie rock, but unlike most, they abandon all their limits; incorporating samples, saxophone and a wealth of other instrumentation which winds up being graciously mixed within expansive and open minded song structures.

Vocally, band frontman Matt Brehony croons, lulls and generally captivates with his humble demeanor and tuneful notes that at times can bring to mind the melodic moments of Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo. Sounding a bit melancholy, his words are softly spoken with a restrained passion that for the most part avoids droning on, mainly because of their ever constant vigilance. Guitar work spans the genre spectrum, from ambient natured plucks to jangley distorted swipes, blues and more, but as with most instruments the band indulge in upon this CD, their playing is focused more upon atmosphere and intriguing noise, rather than standing on their own. Bass playing is also competent and becomes the cognitive glue through most tracks while percussion is reluctant, yet precise when called for, adding the occasional jarring spike.

Interestingly enough though, the band refuse to rely only upon the basics, with instruments as varied as the djembe, saxophone, upright bass, organ, kalimba, shekere, caxaxi, piano, cello, violin and many, many more all making appearances as the CD blossoms to fruition. With a soundscape that is both dense and sweeping, the material is eclectic and brings to mind older Radiohead, and even though it is full of twists and turns, it is perhaps the bands toying with organic drum and bass stylings and the occasional sampling that startle the listener the most. The music is inherently textural, riddled with capacious sonic ambiance and natural tones that beautifully resonate as they glide through the ears. Unfortunately though, even with the bands music being fairly focused individually, when put together as a whole, the disc has a general lack of consistency and direction, causing the album to feel a bit more like a collection of tracks united by the similar radical ideas, rather than by the same style. There's also no doubt that this album will not appeal to a wide range of listeners due to its sheer scope and the way the songs are so cerebrally written. It's just not easy to digest and at times can almost make the listener uncomfortable. But with dynamic songs as intelligent as they are experimental, its a definite voyage that requires attention to be listened to and as such, might rub as many people the wrong way as it does the right. Still, even though the album is jam packed with differing ideas, one thing it is devoid of, is aggression. In its place are the fundamentals of deeply melodic indie rock, and though their progressive tendencies do well to keep it fresh, it still can sound a bit too wishy-washy and avant garde. Some may find this album to be utterly inspirational, while other may find it bloated and pretentious, but all should at least find it interesting. When it all comes down to it, this band deserve credit on the basis of their keen musicianship alone. But when you also add in how encompassing of an aural trip their music really is, whatever positive or negative reaction the listener takes from it, will unquestionably make them think .