1.   Baptisms, weddings and other rites of passage are accompanied by mariachi brass and the thump of the big acoustic bass guitar.

2.   Both bands grew more introspective, turning away from the big guitar riffs of their hits, acting not like pop hacks but like artists.

3.   Concentrating on more hook-laden compositions, its sound was big guitar indie pop more reminiscent of the Afghan Whigs or the Replacements a generation before.

4.   The music inside mirrors the rock star stare-down with big fat guitar riffs and three-alarm sentiments that shoot up from the orchestrated confusion.