Fragile, sleepy, sad pop. Female vocals. Intense but unassuming songs about goodbye. Unaffected, unadorned solo voice and minimal acoustic guitar... plus a sprinkling of percussion, keyboards, and other interesting sounds. Doiron's voice is not beautiful in a traditional sense (even more so on this record than on previous work) and there's no aural make-up, as it were. It seems the intent is anti-beauty and rather evocation of hope and authenticity in a sad and lonely world. Or that's what it seems like to me. Yeah, her vocal approach is so iconoclastic she reminds me more of Niki Colk of Kaito (even though those two don't sound like each other) than she does of other singer/songwriters. Doiron played bass in New Brunswick band Eric's Trip in the '90s. She did her early solo work under the name Broken Girl. All mid-slow or slow. No FCCs. Start with 5, 10, 11.

1. A lullaby/love ballad. "When the snow falls this
November...."

2. Swaying & sleepy, with slide guitar. Mersey-pop chord
changes. An apology.

3. A sad, farewell song to a baby. During instrumental breaks,
semi-mathy guitar work over slow, acoustic indie pop.

4. Simplistic percussion reminiscent of early Neil Young.

==> 5. Guitar, strings, and voice. "I see clouds in your eyes. But this bus will be leaving soon."

6. Dreamy. Tremelo vibes and guitar. "God bless the workers, I
wish I was one."

7. Begins quietly with voice and piano. The first of two lush,
fully fleshed arrangements on the record.

8. Twittery, birdlike guitar sounds. "You dreamed of all the
other hands you^?ve held... and you were gone when I awoke."

9. Starts quietly with voice. Becomes full band, gently swaying
indie rocker. Develops a Neil Young/Crazy Horse feel during
instrumental portion.

==> 10. Quietly powerful ballad about lost love.

==> 11. Voice and banjo and street noise. Ends with several seconds of street noise.

12. Instrumental. Guitars and odd percussion, joined later by
drums. Beautiful in a sad way.