M. Ward returns with an album similar to his previous offerings, with folk-based acoustic tracks featuring hand claps, heavy production, and arrangements making them sound lush and full, and occasionally several decades older than they really are. Each song sounds different from the rest and a number of guest performers are featured– Jason Lytle from Grandaddy, Lucinda Williams, Tom Hagerman from Devotchka, and Zooey Deschanel from the movies. No FCCs noted.
Picks: 3, 6, 8, 11

1) (2:47) Catchy acoustic track particularly whispery and occasionally sneery vocals.
2) (2:26) Very poppy; distorted electric guitar runs through this one alongside a pounding beat and Zooey's guest vocals.
**3) (2:31) Excellent acoustic piece with full backing instrumentation; about loneliness and death.
4) (3:05) String introduction brings Nick Drake to mind; very slow, vocals take a minute to come in.
5). (3:35) Cover of a song made popular by Buddy Holly; does have a 50s tinge to it, but Ward adapts it to his own style so much that it doesn't really stand out. More Zooey.
*6) (3:02) Most upbeat song on the album, and ridiculously so; features piano carrying the piece, with questionable sci-fi-esque sound effects and synths coming in near the end. Lytle guests.
7) (2:12) Sparse in the context of the album, featuring just Ward, acoustics, and production fuzz.
*8) (3:18) Builds from simple mid-tempo guitar so much that it sounds almost overproduced near the end, but remains interesting throughout.
9) (3:12) Quirky electric guitar parts throughout make this interesting, but it's mostly repetitive average Ward music outside of them.
10) (6:06) An even slower cover of Neil Young's interpretation of Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me," featuring Lucinda Williams.
*11) (3:49) Pretty straightforward Ward song; doesn't have any really unique qualities but features some of the album's best music.
12) (2:30) Another slower song, mostly acoustic with electric guitar contributing to an interesting rhythm throughout the track.
13) (2:20) Sounds like a 60s folk/pop/rock song, focus is on acoustics without many of the backing instruments defining much of the earlier songs.
14) (3:47) Instrumental featuring heavily distorted electric guitars with acoustics providing rhythm.