On the surface, The Crystal Axis, the Midnight Juggernauts’ sophomore record, has all the same elements as their excellent debut Dystopia: various swooping and oceanic synths, cascading vocals and an appreciation for a good beat. But while Dystopia played around with nu-disco and 80s pop, always focused on the movement, the hook (and catchy ones at that: I still challenge anyone to name a better opening than the one to “Into the Galaxy,” which is memorable without ever being annoying), The Crystal Axis feels more like something done by a bunch of serious ELO fans who might have forgotten the power of a tempo change. Which of course isn’t to say that there isn’t some great stuff here, because there is. Both “Virago” and “This New Technology,” for example, are quite good, with that same vaguely anxious backbeat that made most of Dystopia so compelling — but more often than not, the songs on The Crystal Axis all feel a little samey, a little too long, and a little too prog, with nothing quite reaching out and sticking with you.

To be fair, the band probably weren’t trying to make another Dystopia. But while a band like Yeasayer followed up their more singles-driven debut with something in the nearly opposite direction, Midnight Juggernauts didn’t move quite so drastically, and suffer for it. They’re halfway between disco and prog here, landing somewhere near anthemic dance-rock, which, while it does have its moments of fun, ends up feeling a little unfulfilling.

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