Buoyed by the success of their debut record, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – the Brooklyn five-piece formed around Alec Ounsworth – refined and broadened their sound for the follow up, 2007’s Some Loud Thunder. A denser listen, the band – together with acclaimed producer Dave Fridmann – expanded those elements that made their self-titled debut such a compelling album, while maintaining the ramshackle charm that first won them legions of fans. Towering melodies, sumptuous layers, and woozy harmonies saw the band continue to meld a joyful sense of playfulness to solid indie rock, but Some Loud Thunder was adventurous too, Ounsworth gently expanding his songwriting horizons. Indie-dance grooves, acoustic jangles, garage-psych, Dylan-esque harmonica, and even proto bar-room boogie all appear at some point, subtle shifts that added a richness to their giddy, carnivalesque indie. The result was a band stepping out from the relentless hype that engulfed their early years and cementing their reputation on musical talent alone. Loosening up and adding some dynamic variety gave Ounsworth’s unique, singular vocals even greater power, and hinted at exciting future directions. Explorations in left-field indie are notoriously hit and miss; Some Loud Thunder proved that for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, it was going to be very fertile ground indeed.