Personally, I think they just sound too lifeless and unemotional on record, kinda one-dimensional. Mainly, it's because I don't like the production or Wayne's voice that much, but also because they seem to be trying too hard to be unalternative. It seems like every song I hear has some sort or wacky noise going on in the background somewhere that could easilt be removed and make the song better.
I can see why people would like them, but to me they're merely good, not great. Grandaddy did the same sort of thing much better (or at least more to my taste) on "The Sophtware Slump".