The sophomore LP from these LA indie-rockers is a unique blend of their punk and folk influences, an honest and literate record that owes as much to Neil Young as it does to the Clash. Two years after the release of their debut LP, Throw Me The Keys, the Broken Remotes return with Tonight"s Last Stand (Room 206 Records). Frontman Jon Leahy is joined this time around by Amy Wood on Drums, Josh Schwartz on guitar and bass, and Dave Yaden on keyboards, and the musicianship heard here is miles ahead of the earlier effort. The record"s title comes from a lyric in the closing track, On The Take: "and though your heart is a dirty cop on the take/ it"s bent your conscience but where your conscience will not break/ it"s there we"ll make, it"s there we"ll make tonight"s last stand." Together with the album opener, Let"s Make This Worth The Regret, it becomes clear that Leahy and co. are focusing on an urgent, if some what narrow subject: tonight. Of course it"s not just any night, it"s one filled with equal parts heartbreak and redemption, and the stories are told with a genuine empathy and optimism that give the album it"s unique feel. The album unfolds musically in two sides: side A is electric, up-tempo, where side B is more acoustic, mid-tempo. Where the first half of the album says what it wants on impulse, the second half thinks for a second before speaking. In a strange way it"s almost as if we hear the band mature as the record plays, both musically and lyrically. 1 Let"s Make This Worth The Regret 2 Arms Held Aloft 3 Stick With Me, Kid 4 This Time Is The Exception 5 Shut Off The Machines 6 Lose The Swagger 7 Where The Curb Is Painted Red 8 Pages Of The Weekly 9 In Favor Of The Grey 10 On The Take