Best Song: The fourth track on the album, "Gloriously" plays brilliantly to what it is TPD does well -- light, poppy songs full of fantastic vocals. I wish I knew the lead singer's name, but the band's MySpace -- their only website -- is pretty light on any background info. As well as the aforementioned banjo, the band also employs the mandolin, something also sorely missing from recent YAFI submissions. These TPD fellas are some pretty ambitious dudes, if you ask me. They also play brilliantly to the strengths of their locale -- people expect some jangly, just-the-right-amount-of-country rock music from a Chandler band, let alone an Arizona one.

Song I Also Enjoyed: It's the Christmas season, and instead of picking a song I don't like I shall choose to focus on one that was also pretty good. "Thank You For Nothing" is a vindictive offering that, while spiteful in nature, is still upbeat and poppy. Even when TPD has cruel intentions, they manage to wrap it all up in a light and enjoyable package. The song often makes you forget how sarcastically rude its lyrics are -- and that's a good thing.

Suggestions: I would like to know your guy's names and other information like that, so please update ya website with some of that info. As well, keep plugging away locally and get this album on a wider release -- I think a lot of people will take to it. I know UOTS' own Martin Cizmar is a fan of the TPD, and other people will certainly be in line after listening to Hope In a State of Decay.

Grade: B