The Scottish quintet has spent many months in the US touring with the likes of Pearl Jam and the experience shows on this, their fourth full-length album. Listening to this it is hard to reconcile the new material with the riotous band that this reviewer saw many years ago supporting the Goo Goo Dolls at London's ULU; then they were a thrashy, bone-crunching four piece. Now? The "new" Idlewild sound like R.E.M. - hell, they even play steel pedal guitar, for heaven's sake. Still, Warnings/Promises has its moments. The album's opening track - and current single - Love Steals Us From Loneliness, is a corker, as is Blame It On The Obvious Choice. That singer Roddy Woomble's voice resembles Michael Stipe's reedy whine too much for comfort is what grates.

While the songs have considerable depth and structure, generally the material sounds like stuff any one of a number of intelligent American rock bands coulda/shoulda/woulda put out. Still, if that sort of thing is your bag, then this will be too.