This Irish four piece returns with I’ll Wait for Sound, a follow up to their magnificent debut We Thrive on Big Cities, released by Atlantic in 2006. This time out, the lads from Malahide (a seaside suburb of North Dublin) are going the indie route and releasing on their own label. Perhaps as a means of exerting control over their sound, they insisted on self producing their first album, but for this sophomore release enlisted the efforts of Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Ben Lee) as producer and Barny Bancroft (Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand) to mix. For those inclined towards comparisons, imagine a slightly happier version of Interpol.

Vocalist Michael Moloney is once again the chief songwriter and all 10 tracks retain Director’s distinctive, indie-boy-done-wrong sound, as Moloney’s haunting, deep timbre soars above and interweaves with trademark riffs from bassist Rowan Averill and guitarist Eoin Aherne, while drummer Shea Lawlor keeps time. It’s a very well crafted effort, but there isn’t a single on I’ll Wait for Sound to match the sonic grandeur of “Reconnect,” the breakout track from their first album—which is perhaps the downfall of creating an indie pop masterpiece on your debut. At present the band has not secured a distributor for the North American market so for those of you hell bent on out-referencing your hipster friends, pick this up as an import through Faction Records and collect your well deserved bragging rights.