With campy sarcasm worn proudly on their sleeves, the members of Relient K are upping the ante with their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make A Right... But Three Do. While past albums have alternated between silly songs and more serious fare, Two Lefts shows off a more nuanced songwriting touch -- melding the snarky with the earnest in surprisingly effective ways. It's not a complete blend between the two, but this group is showing off more and more of the kind of sure-footed musical language that can only come with time and experience. Whether offering biting criticism (see "Mood Rings," an ode to emotionally schizophrenic girlfriends, and "In Love With the 80s," in which Matt Thiessen pokes fun at his older brothers), trying to make sense of ending a relationship ("Over Thinking"), or struggling with emotions that defy explanation ("I Am Understood?"), Relient K shows that there's a lot more in its arsenal than that ubiquitous tongue-in-cheek.

While the hype surrounding Two Lefts has been a bit heavy-handed, it's hard to argue with after hearing the quality of Relient K's work on this intensely enjoyable album.

- Robin Parrish