by Ned RaggettWith the lineup unchanged from the Every Brilliant Eye era, Died Pretty returned to Australia to record Doughboy Hollow with producer Hugh Jones. The result was probably their best album yet, an evocative, rich series of performances with both Ron S. Peno and Brett Myers at the height of their considerable powers. Peno's voice is fully his own at this point, yearning, mournful, intense, and more all at once, while Myers' guitar work simply grabs the mood and sets it throughout, from the chiming yet dark guitars on "Doused," to his often delicate tones on "Turn Your Head." The classic rock roots of the band as a whole enable them to become the equal of their models, making it a sad loss that the album didn't receive the attention that it deserved. While John Hoey's keyboards still sometimes are little more than arrangement, his touches like the persistent then relaxed piano line on "D.C." show he has his own skill, while stronger lead performances crop up throughout the album. Chris Welsh's drumming, meanwhile, has grown ever more sophisticated and sharp with time, able to capture the swings from full-on charge to gentler moods. A guest violinist and cellist provide extra shade and elegance, as on the folkish/martial ballad "The Ballad of Stanmore," and its immediate follow-up "The Love Song," a sweet, gently swinging number that, in fact, delivers the opposite sentiments from what the title would indicate. In general, Doughboy Hollow is a little more relaxed and ruminative than many previous albums -- not as many nuclear strength rave-ups outside of tracks like "Godbless," which itself is actually a little sparer and less flailing than in the past, but not without its traditional killer Myers solo. The energy gets a different kind of focus, like the steady surge and punch of "Stop Myself," with Peno overdubbing his harmony vocals to great effect.