he considerable attention afforded 2004’s She Like Electric, Smoosh’s joyfully sunny debut album, stemmed as much from the content (melodic indie pop) as the age of participants (sisters Asya (keyboards/vocals, now 14) and Chloe (drums, now 12)). But in a genre strewn with sound-alike’s, you have to imagine it was the age that helped vault the girls to support dates with the likes of Pearl Jam, The Go! Team, and Death Cab for Cutie.

Even so it’s disappointing to find some of the silliness and experimentation of their debut gone from the duo’s Barsuk debut Free to Stay. Instead Smoosh focus here on putting together deceptively simple, but constantly intriguing music. Chloe’s unfussy, adaptive drumming provides a fine base for the fantastically ingenious keyboard playing that propels most of the album. It gives the fuzzy stomp of “Rock Song” its power and provides album highlight “Gold” the graceful swell from its frenzied opening that leaves Asya’s closing plea “don’t you follow me home tonight” easily the most affecting line. Much of the thrill of “Clap On” lies in how it switches effortlessly between contemplative verses (that also put Chloe’s harmonies to great use) and an enjoyably vicious strut for a chorus. “Glider” similarly changes moods through a series of clever musical twists and turns.

Asya’s voice is pleasant enough and certainly sounds fuller than on their debut, but while it isn’t often overstretched, it’s still somewhat thin and one-dimensional compared to the music it’s trying to accompany. When the vocals are made the center of “Slower Than Gold,” for example, she sounds hopelessly small and lost in its empty spaces. It doesn’t help that her lyrics lack the absurdist value of some of the debut—too often it’s in one ear and out the other.

Listening to Free to Stay, it’s almost impossible not to wonder what the future holds. Perhaps an adolescence dealing with the music industry and playing shows to cynical audiences will crush Smoosh’s youthful enthusiasm and drive them away from music completely. Maybe the angst of “She’s Right” and acoustic guitar snoozeathon “Waiting for Something” are a sign that the girls want to become more like Vanessa Carlton than we realized. It’s, of course, more tempting to believe that an already apparent talent will bloom with room to grow and the benefit of a bit more experience. But for now? We’ll have to settle for the fact that Free to Stay has just enough to enjoy to keep these girls from being mere curiosities. While charming, it’s still a little too forgettable to be really exciting on its own merits.