If an album runs longer than forty-five minutes, it had better have a damn good reason and the rewards for my endurance had better hit hard and fast. This is not news. Why don't bands know this?

Discuss.

Brendan, you should listen to the album "Neon Golden" by The Notwist. I've listened to it once and enjoyed it. Am I late?

Also "Challengers" is in the same boat. Don't expect Mass Romantic.

(A boat with "Neon Golden" and "Challengers" would be like Life of Pi if instead of a boy there was an ostrich and instead of a tiger there was an emu.)

Jiayi, did I remember to thank you for introducing me to DeVotchKa?