Peter Bjorn and John

All that whistling must wear a man down. PB&J sound a bit blue on this follow-up to Writer's Block, which included the ubiquitous "Young Folks." Perhaps all the splendor of fame has gotten them down, or maybe it's just made them appreciate simplicity. Living Thing certainly does thrive on minimalism, as sparse thumps, handclaps and electro beats dominate. And though echoed cries of "I'm losing my mind" and "Shut the f*ck up!" overtly reveal despair, PB&J add enough trotting rhythms and sing-along opportunities to ensure that even if they're bummed out, the listener won't be.