The Breeders
Title TK
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For $13.75

The long-awaited follow-up to 1993's platinum-selling Last Splash, Title TK shows a darker side of The Breeders, much in the vein of their debut, 1990's Pod. These songs are marked by fuzzy guitars, rolling basslines, and straight-ahead rock drumming, not to mention lead singer Kim Deal's steady and low vocal delivery. Title TK does not show a drastic departure from The Breeders' sound of nine years ago, and fans of the band will no doubt enjoy this record. At the same time, this record would not sound out of place if it were released in 1995. Though this is not a sign of new innovations, Title TK stands out in 2002 as a positive reminder of mid-1990s alternative rock, giving the record a certain refreshing quality in the present day.

The closing song on Title TK, "Huffer", is the most immediate track and an obvious choice for the first single. Its upbeat rhythm and catchy chorus remind the listener of what has been missed in The Breeders' long absence. The rest of Title TK is much more reserved and brooding than "Huffer" or Last Splash. Still, the start-stop motion of "Little Fury", the distorted melody of "Too Alive", and the quirky "Full of Idle" hold their own against the rest of The Breeders' catalog. "Off You" is a slow, creeping slab of muted-guitar exploration that offers an eerie sense of foreboding, hinting at the disturbed emotions at the core of Title TK.

Overall, Title TK is a solid record from one of the better bands of the 1990s alt-rock explosion. It deserves repeated listens, as the mystery and darkness of the album slowly reveal themselves to the listener in some intriguing musical forms. Let's just hope it doesn't take until 2011 to hear from The Breeders again.

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