After two special EPs in a row, Little Bird (Are You Happy in Your Cage) (before they got tossed from Hut Records) and the wonderful Liquid Makeup on their own Cool Badge label, their Play It Again Sam debut, Uptown, isn't anywhere near as hooky or prized, yet it's no bomb either. Most importantly, it retains the Moose mix of pretty guitars, Russell Yates' lovely singing, and scrumptious textures originally mapped out on ...XYZ (it was a big departure and gigantic improvement on their first three EPs that were released on Caroline as Sonny and Sam, their only U.S. release to date, so many stateside listeners have a poorly informed opinion). Since "Uptown Invisible" is on Honey Bee, it's two out of the three B-sides that warrant purchase. "Call It What You Want, Anything" is a stultifying, boring guitar-strum instrumental, but both "Nevergreen" and "Tower of Crumbs" are as beautiful and involved as the A-side, with the latter being a great, shimmering song, period.