The Breeders — Title TK

For the first few moments, Title TK — The Breeders’ first album since 1993’s unlikely masterpiece, Last Splash — sounds like a blast straight to the good old days. But as the album drags on the time warp starts to show a few cracks. Despite the comforting familiarity of Kim Deal’s warm voice and the band’s charming devil-may-care approach to musical proficiency, The Breeders are, expectedly, showing more than a little wear. It’s obvious that they’re trying — songs like the muscular and ballsy "Little Fury" and the starkly tender "Off You" are rough treasures — but the odd flashes of former brilliance aren’t enough. The sparse arrangements, skeletal songs, cranky vocals and general lack of energy aren’t enough to make Title TK anything more than a novelty.

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