Back in 2005, Australian indie-poppers Architecture in Helsinki released a delightful little album called In Case We Die. It was an endlessly energetic affair, overflowing with a manic, creative playfulness. Musicians pinballed around their instruments while songs effortlessly morphed from one delirious mini-movement to another. The album propelled Architecture in Helsinki to poster-band status for a new, exuberant strain of indie rock, in which everyone sings, every colour is as bright as can be, every musical combination is fair game and every song is either imaginative or aggravating.
            Sadly, their 2007 follow-up, Places Like This, falls into the latter category more often than not. Amping up the already frenzied energy to indescribable levels, Architecture in Helsinki aim for a sonic orgy. Instead, the big dance beats, distracting vocal tics and relentless shifts end up sounding like the musical equivalent of a giant, neon-pink exclamation point.
            Though Places Like This is undeniably a lot of fun (or rather, FUN!), the good times quickly turn to nausea as the band never ceases trying to cram as many zany elements into three-minute confines as possible. Taken on their own, the uncontrollably infectious “Heart it Races,” with its vocal bass lines and steel drums, and the relentless white-boy funk of “Debbie” are like tasty desserts, but as anyone over the age of six knows, a healthy diet can’t be formed on sweets alone. Sadly, Places Like This doesn’t contain any real sustenance.
            Compounding matters is de facto front man Cameron Bird’s brash, guttural vocals. Too often he opts for a boastful shout rather than an actual melody, and these yowls rarely suit the joyful high the music tries to attain. Bird’s vocals completely rob “Hold Music” of its thunder, turning one of the album’s more focused tracks into a perverse children’s version of a B52s B-side.
            To its credit, the ambition on Places Like This is admirable and the album contains more good ideas in its brief run-time than most bands’ full discographies; they’re just buried beneath far too many questionable ones. If Architecture in Helsinki could temper their own excitement and calm down a tad, they might be onto something. Places Like This, though, recalls that glowing exclamation point. It’s got a certain chic esthetic to it, sure, but give it more than a passing glance and it’ll just cause a headache.