“Sounds, Smash Hits, Melody Maker, NME all sound like a dream to me”, Dan Bejar sings on the title track to Destroyer’s 2011 album Kaputt. This blasé listing of music journalism publications perfectly represents Bejar’s often cynical, apathetic attitude, especially with regards to fame and critical success. It is ironic, then, that the album on which these lyrics are found is the very same album that managed to propel his then-cult project to indie rock stardom four years ago. Until then, Destroyer had a small but loyal following, many of whom were also followers of his other band The New Pornographers. With the release of Kaputt and its unexpected critical and commercial success came new responsibilities and new expectations; and, as a result, Poison Season has been awaited with all the hype of a typical buzz-band’s sophomore album, but with one key difference – this is in fact Destroyer’s eleventh full-length studio release.

But you wouldn’t know it. It’s truly a testament to Bejar’s songwriting talent that the result sounds so fresh. From the elegant piano and strings of 'Bangkok', to the bombastic and powerful brass of lead single 'Dream Lover', Poison Season is an album full of vibrancy and life. It is, however, very different to its predecessor. Gone are the 80s pop-influenced synths and basslines that pervaded the sound of Kaputt, replaced instead by strings, pianos and bolder, fuller instrumentation that is more reminiscent of earlier Destroyer albums, such as 2006’s Rubies, a tour de force of elegant, sophisticated baroque pop. As a result, the best way of describing the album with reference to Kaputt is "the same, but different".

This is unmistakeably a Destroyer album, of course, with Bejar’s classic oddball lyrics and slightly cheesy but always endearing melodies making sure of that, but it’s certainly a departure from what came before. What is retained from Kaputt however, are the high-end production values – and the combination of lush instrumental arrangements and high fidelity production makes for a polished and professional record. 'Forces From Above' for instance, the longest track on the album, is a perfect example of the blending of production and performance. The driving, percussive bassline sounds incredibly similar to songs such as 'Downtown' or 'Song For America' from Kaputt, yet the swelling strings and clattering live drums ensure enough of a difference that the sound doesn’t become stagnant or stale. In four years, you’d hope for the band to have progressed, and they certainly have.

Aside from the strength of many of the individual songs, the album itself is well-constructed to listen to from start to finish. The twin songs bookending the album, 'Times Square, Poison Season I' and 'Times Square, Poison Season II', help to add to its polished feel, and make for a neat and tidy way of starting and ending the record. At the midpoint comes the proper, fleshed out version of the track, 'Times Square', drawing on the undeveloped melodies and lyrics explored in its opening and closing cousins; it’s a fun, pretty song, and comes at the perfect point in the record to inject a last bit of pace before the slower and more sultry 'Archer on the Beach' and 'Midnight Meet the Rain'.

Obviously the record isn’t perfect, and sometimes its polished, glossy production can rob the music of some of Destroyer’s trademark debonair charm – Bejar himself even referred to 'Dream Lover' as "Destroyer 101", and this self-effacing description is at times true of Poison Season. It almost seems like a kind of paint-by-numbers, formulaic approach to Destroyer’s music. Poison Season is a lovely record, with some fantastic tunes and very pleasant instrumentation, but at times it just feels a bit too safe.

@declanamphlett