Whenever a band changes up its style, the decision is usually met with jeers, hisses, lit torches, and angry pitchforks (in both the physical and digital sense).

The Noisettes are an entirely different entity. With the release of Wild Young Hearts on September 21, their second major LP, the band demonstates that experimenting with a new flavor doesn’t have to be the gateway to ruin–in fact, it can lead to the most pleasant of surprises.

Gone without a trace are the crashing drums and carnal, skittish yelps of What’s The Time, Mr. Wolf?. In their stead, catchy melodies, soulful crooning, and a solid retro-tuned-modern sound that walks the line somewhere between Doo-wop, ’60′s soul, and classic ’50′s rock ‘n’ roll. The result? A solid and cohesive collection of tunes as instant and familiar as an American Bandstand “Best Of” collection.

While the whole album is worthy of mention, favorites include “Don’t Upset the Rhythm,” “Never Forget You,” “Beat of My Heart,” and the album closer, “Cheap Kicks,” all of which prove just about impossible not to start singing along with immediately.

Offering one of the freshest and most accessible releases of 2009, the Noisettes have proven themselves now twice in a row as one of the finest breakthrough acts of the decade. Though I’d never gotten around to properly reviewing the album when it initially came out, Wild Young Hearts is one of the summer’s best, and a strong contender for one of the year’s top releases.

To celebrate the release of Wild Young Hearts, MuuMuse is giving away ONE VINYL COPY of the new album! Simply send a blank e-mail to noisettes@muumuse.com to enter. Contest ends on October 15 at noon, when a winner will be chosen and contacted at random.

Purchase Wild Young Hearts for $5 from Amazon | MySpace | Official Website