recorded , , and during an 18-month hot streak in 1965 and 1966, which is widely (and justly) regarded as one of the most impressive fusions of quantity and quality in the history of rock music. doesn't appear to be gunning for 's status as rock's most venerable man of letters (even though he can honestly say he's a better novelist), but it's worth noting managed to crank out three excellent albums between April 2020 and June 2021 with his group , a hat trick he should point to with pride. Adding to the pleasant surprise, the third in this run, 2021's , is the best of the three, the work of a man with stories to tell and the skills to make something special from them. is a songwriter with a taste for concept albums, and while these 12 tunes don't have a clear thematic connection, they share a common mood: paranoia. Practically everyone in has some sort of secret, a fundamental truth they cannot or will not share, and they're guarded in the extreme as they try to suss out this conspiracy theory or that action from some shadowy other goings on. It's hard to tell if these folks are engaged in espionage or just think people are out to get them for no good reason, and that's part of what makes these stories so fascinating -- allows each protagonist to show us what's going on in their mind, and then gives us the choice of deciding just how divorced from reality they may be. 's bone fides as a songwriter are a given at this point, but his talent for record making has begun matching his skill as a tunesmith and vocalist, and his regular collaborators -- multi-instrumentalist , bassist , and drummer -- are remarkably sure hands with nuance, and as capable of exploring the space and making their way back as any first-class jazz ensemble. And whoever got the idea of bringing in Muscle Shoals legend to contribute additional keyboards deserves a raise. Without drawing undo attention to himself, has been moving from strength to strength as one of indie rock's most vital and original talents, and demonstrates he's working at the top of his game and it's a joy to hear. Let's just hope there's no motorcycle accident in his future. ~ Mark Deming