Chicago-based trio Zelienople present their second album for the Type label. Zelienople have been around for quite a while now, and in that time have become staples in the underground music architecture. Percussionist Mike Weis has appeared on recent recordings with alt-folk legend Scott Tuma, and Weis, Tuma and guitarist/vocalist Matt Christensen form the band Good Stuff House. Despite all this activity, their passion still lies in Zelienople. Multi-instrumentalist Brian Harding completes the trio, which has forged its most essential work to date with Give It Up, a record which succeeds as a perfect summation of their progress. With previous albums, the band have garnered no shortage of comparisons to Talk Talk, Slowdive and Bark Psychosis, and while these comparisons still stand, here Zelienople have pushed the influences into the background to reveal a daring and fresh sound. Poppier than its predecessor His/Hers (TYPE 024CD), Give It Up is a collection of rolling songs, from the Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore-esque opener "Aging" to the doomed Americana of "All I Want Is Calm," and the hazy ambience of "Water Saw." As we pass through the effortless percussive shuffle and dream-like riffing of "I Can Put All My Faith In Her," perhaps the closest the band have ever come to writing a pop song, it's hard not to fall under their spell. It is a record with scope and an enviable restraint, and a record which revels in the band's experience and pedigree. This is an album of crystalline, mysterious beauty; it is something which might take multiple listens to truly uncover, and is infinitely rewarding once you do. Cinematic, but startlingly unpretentious, this is music perfectly primed for the colder seasons. Light a log fire and enjoy.