Evidently, The Proclaimers decided that 2009 was the year they would mix things up a bit.

Earlier in the year, the Scottish twin-brother duo of Craig and Charlie Reid — who are at the core of The Proclaimers — released an acoustic EP, and followed it with an acoustic-duo tour. They actually began their careers that way, so stripping things down in such a manner didn’t feel foreign to them.

But, now, having reclaimed their acoustic-duo roots, The Proclaimers this week released an electrified, full-band album, “Notes & Rhymes,” and hit the US shores for a tour that again finds them backed by a full, plugged-in band.

On “Notes & Rhymes,” the Reids also mix things up by embracing a range of sounds, styles and emotions. Folk and country-music flourishes intermingle with new wave, punk and rockabilly, and the tone of the lyrics runs the gamut as well. “Free Market” is a caustic skewering of duplicitous fat-cat bankers; “I Know” is a righteously angry anti-war song; and “Sing All Our Cares Away” is another passionate protest — this one about unemployment back home. But there is also the homesick lament of “Three More Days,” the heartfelt romanticism of “Love Can Move Mountains” and the ruminative, pensive “Like a Flame.” Listen to The Proclaimers "Love Can Move Mountains" (MP3).

And their harmonies, as usual, are shimmering and evocative, influenced more than a bit by those of the Everly Brothers.

The Proclaimers, who come to The Ark on Monday, are best known here in the U.S. for their romping 1988 tune, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” marked by their distinctive Scottish accents. The song temporarily vaulted them to “star” status here in the States when it was used in the popular ’93 film “Benny & Joon,” with Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson.

That song continues to be their major claim to fame here in the U.S., all these years later — because their popularity in America waned after that. But they’ve continued to be stalwarts of the UK rock scene. It’s not unusual for them to headline festivals in the UK that draw crowds of 50,000, for example.

In some cases, it’s a burden for a band to have their rep tied specifically to just one song like that. There can be subtle (or not-so-subtle) pressure — from both fans and the record company — to essentially keep writing recording the same song over and over again. But Charlie Reid is philosophical on the subject.

"I always think, even if you might not think it's your best song, it's the song people identify with, and to be honest, that's the song that keeps us traveling the world," Reid told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "If you get one record that's as big as that in your entire career, then it's very helpful because it does open doors for you."

The acoustic tour was refreshing and re-energizing for the Reids, says Charlie, as it put them into small, intimate rooms, playing to audiences of only 100 people in some cases. “It really is important that you don’t fall into a rut. And that’s what we’re doing this year,” he continued, referring to the acoustic EP and tour, followed by the current plugged-in album and full-band tour. The acoustic EP, titled “17” created a buzz for its unique interpretation of the Kings of Leon song, “17.” The EP also included three acoustic re-imaginings of songs from their 2007 album, “Life With You.”

The Proclaimers perform “17” in their rehearsal space:

Regarding the Leon cover: when the Reids were pondering doing the acoustic tour, they decided they wanted to include a cover of a song by a contemporary band. “We knocked a few names about, and the Kings of Leon came up, and we both like them,” said Craig Reid in an interview conducted for their new record-company bio. “We thought we could do a version of ‘17,’ and that it was something we could do in a way that was different than how they did it, but in a way that it would still work.”

It does indeed work. Even though it’s rendered in a strummier, more acoustic fashion, the tempo is revved up into something more playful and breezy.

As for the political-minded tone of some of their new songs, Craig continued: “We could never shy away from doing songs with political content. If you have no political view, or just think people in music should be entertainers and nothing else, that’s fair enough. But if you do have political leanings, and are serious about your work, those political views are going to come out.”

The new disc includes a couple of covers — the aforementioned “Sing Our Cares Away,” by Ireland’s Damien Dempsey and “It Was Always So Easy to Find an Unhappy Woman,” a straight-up country tune by Moe Bandy. But, for the most part, Charlie Reid told the Inquirer, the album consists of “’up’ songs — what we could call straight-ahead Proclaimers stomping songs.”

Kevin Ransom is a free lance writer and critic who covers music for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at KevinRansom10@aol.com. PREVIEW The Proclaimers Who: Scottish band, best-known in the U.S. for their 1988 song, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” What: Energetic, smart, well-crafted songs, drawing on folk, country, punk, new wave and rockabilly — and marked by stirring vocal harmonies. Where: The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. When: Monday, 8 p.m. How much: $20. Details: 734-761-1451; The Ark web site.