Barsuk

During the course of their three albums, New York indie rock group Ra Ra Riot has embodied the spirit of evolution. Although the band’s angular pep has always been the underlying marker of their music, it’s shifted from each disc to the next – a sensibility that is notably apparent here on their third album, Beta Love. The record is the band’s first without cellist Alexandra Lawn and
there is evident movement from the orchestral element of the musicians’ earlier work to a more electronic-based sound. Synth beats stand out through the album, showcased on the bounding title track and blip-laden mid-tempo number “What I Do for You.” Is this a positive shift for Ra Ra Riot? That depends on whether you like your indie rock to arrive sounding pre-remixed. There’s some catchy stuff here ( “Binary Mind” is a great dance number), but at times the evolution feels too severe.