Like the British response to Low, Arco make ballads of the plaintive variety which are filled with innocence, hope and despair. Since their debut record, a myriad of similar artists have entered the scene such as Coastal and Empress, so 'Restraint' could be referred to as their attempt to reclaim the crown for pop of the most shy and introspective variety. As before, much of the new album is absorbed in fey, tender melodies but there's enough surprises along the way to show that Arco have a wide music collection. 'Diary' is an excellent way to start as Chris Healy's close-mic fragile whisper combines with the crunch of menacing guitars. It's a formula revisited on 'Silent Wonder' and 'Meant', where the guitars take a noticeably more rustic direction. Yet it's the comparatively languid 'Second Skin' which serves to be the best example of how they can deliver the heartache. In conclusion, a fine comeback from one of the more inventive exponents of the "quiet is the new loud" epithet.