Reasonable men strut their stuff on the engrossing second album from this San Francisco duo. Hitching folk and acoustic blues textures to pleasant pop melodies, Meric Long croons like a shy guy — see the touching “Undeclared” — but attacks his guitar with the kind of vigor that could win over any restless heckler. Meanwhile, Logan Kroeber stirs up arresting percussion noises, giving the Dodos an almost orchestral dramatic range. The seven-minute thriller “Joe’s Waltz” (on which Long shouts, “You need help!”) demonstrates their flair for balancing craftsmanship and raw emotion.
