Matt & Kim are the indie pop equivalent of Red Bull and vodka: sweet, easy to swallow, and capable of delivering a kick on the way down. The Brooklyn lovebirds stick to what they do best on their third album, which reprises the formula that made their previous record, Grand, an underground success. Synthesizers, drums, and major-key chord progressions are the name of the game, with New York serving as the backdrop for most of {|Matt|}'s lyrics. The biggest difference between {|Sidewalks|} and the albums that preceded it, though, is its sparkling hi-fi sound. While {|Grand|} was recorded in {|Matt|}'s childhood hood, these ten songs were tracked in a pair of professional studios, and the resulting pop music is buffed to a spit-shine. ~ Andrew Leahey