These aren't the Japandroids you're looking for?

Hurrah! Japandroids are back! Well, sort of. Speaking to Pitchfork's Stuart Berman, Brian King slightly dismissively labelled 2009's Post-Nothing and 2012's Celebration Rock as "the whole first era of the band", clearly indicating that with forthcoming LP Near To The Wild Heart Of Life they feel they're kicking off the second one.That much seems evident from the fact that it features synths, a ballad and (whisper it) acoustic guitars.

I'll try to reserve judgement for the time being - King's comments about discovering new ways of being intense offer some consolation, and it's probably true that they couldn't continue in exactly the same vein as before (loudly proclaiming the virtues of living for the moment while also hinting at the fragility of youth and the ravages of time). But I can't deny being worried that they're about to do an Ice Age and turn their backs on everything they do so unbelievably well in a misguided attempt to make more serious, ambitious, "worthy" music.

If they do, at least Beach Slang will be happy - the coast'll be clear for them...