When You Land Here, It's Time to Return is the ultimate definition of pop; following in the dual footsteps of jangling indie pop and '60s-inspired Elephant 6 rock (Apples in Stereo, Beulah), Flake Music churn out incredibly sunny, peaceful, and generally fun guitar pop that's pretty difficult not to like. The album's only flaw is its tendency to slip into almost emo-ish constructions (standard Braid and Boys Life moves) -- thankfully, though, this leaning is rare in comparison to the charming pop that makes When You Land Here so lovable. It's quite tempting to see the record as a promise of truly great things to come -- Flake Music could use a bit more focus and invention, and their work here leaves one hoping that future work will transform them from a charming but not incredibly inspired pop band into a truly brilliant project. ~ Nitsuh Abebe, All Music Guide
