With their third release Stickeen, El Capitan seems to have found their own voice a bit while further honing their rustic pop and folk chops. Previous releases Atwater KNEC and What Ails You were thoughtful and promising, yet Stickeen hints at a band really coming into their own. This El Capitan is looser, more confident and comfortable stretching beyond the oft-limited No Depression playbook with some flat-out fun ‘70’s AM sunshine. Opener “Happy All the Time” is like a dirty, countrified children’s song – bouncy, short and packed with imagery. Vocalist Ryan Henry has his phrasing and dynamics in a sweet spot, cutting the huckleberry honkey-tonk of previous efforts with more generous, natural delivery. “Black Ice” is a killer of a song, the kind of almost-anthem cranked out by Son Volt when they still had their fastball. A little organ and some softly distorted guitars skate around a broad, wholly likable melody before giving way to a totally uninhibited quasi-reggae breakdown that’s a hundred times better than it sounds. “Feltpicker” is warm, bearded and friendly, with guitar more woolly than prickly and a great mini Allman’s outtro. “Catalina” is a foot-stomping hootenanny, packed with sing-along melodies, a cozy crush of fuzzy guitars and big, round bass (expertly recorded by East Bay analog mainstay Bart Thurber). “Take Cover” is breezy yet melancholy, an effortless drift on Fender Rhodes and jazzy drums with an extended instrumental fade that seems neither forced nor lazy. Everything works without seeming to work too hard on this final and finest track on Stickeen. While countless bands can crank out neo-country rock and make it sound warm, rustic and twangy, dire authentic, El Capitan has successfully made it sound free by seemingly letting things like Townes Van Zandt shrines and dustbowl hair shirts go a bit. – Jon Rooney (2007, The Daily Copper)