Clouds offers more of True Love Always' bittersweet, bossa nova-tinged pop, replete with clean, pretty guitars, subtle keyboards, and sweet backing vocals. If anything, the group's sound has just gotten more streamlined and accessible over the years; now they're able to craft an amiable, catchy song like "Let the Rain Blow In" with just a few harmonies, a fuzzy guitar line, and a jazzy beat. Yet "The Garden's Inside," which moves from a playful, lounge-flavored sound to a quiet finish, also shows that True Love Always can throw a curve or two into their modus operandi. The groovy, Unrest-like "Bachelor Bare" and "Summer Books," as well as the thoughtful love song "I Can Only See You Smile" make Clouds a quintessential TeenBeat album -- unlike some indie pop, it's cute without being cutesy, and catchy and clever without being cloying. By album's end, songs like "Modesto" start to sound a little samey, but True Love Always' style is so mellow and agreeable that they never become offensively dull. Nevertheless, Clouds offers sweet, sophisticated pop that isn't lost in its own pretensions -- and too often, that's a rare commodity. ~ Heather Phares