Reportedly imploding at the end of their gruelling touring schedule, Motor Ace splintered – frontman Patrick Robertson was diagnosed with and recovered from Crohn’s Disease, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Dave Ong moonlighted first in the guise of Joni Lightning then with Melbourne fuzz-pop outfit Neon, while bassist Matt Balfe and drummer Damien Costin busied themselves with pursuits both familial (Balfe is now a proud father) and managerial (Costin heads Fat Guy Management).

Now, Motor Ace open Animal not with a blast of guitar but interweaving acoustic guitars – this is a million miles away from The Secret Life of Us soundtrack song, “Death Defy”. “Want You” pulses with rhythm and much of Animal features bright use of strings – it’s never excessive or ostentatious but delicate, with the light touch adding something to rather than over saturating the songs. It’s true of much of Animal – this is an album that displays little fanfare. When the band do increase the pace and the tempo as on “The Time, The Place”, soon-to-be radio favourite “Little Closer”, and single “Tomorrow’s Gone”, they show restraint by pulling back just when you expect them to go for the jugular.

The obvious reference point for much of Animal is the Verve, and whilst there’s no “Bittersweet Symphony” to really catapult the band to the next level (even if “Ordinary Day” does draw comparisons with “The Drugs Don’t Work”), it’s this widescreen approach that makes for a rounded record, one that shows a mature sensibility and a strong songwriting ability. The main difference between this album and something like Urban Hymns is the remarkable control the band show to limit themselves: at a mere ten tracks, Animal never feels bloated, but deliberately paced and well thought out.