Since striking out on his own, both when he was still a member of and after the band dissolved, has never made the same record twice, but he always imbues each song with the same kind of precise care and subdued emotion no matter the genre, setting, or sound. So much so that it's always easy to spot the heart and soul of the man whether he's playing super-sweet indie pop ( ), exploring electronic sounds ( ), or delving into some riffy glam rock ( ). One of his most impressive experiments was , which pitted his subtle melodies against a large orchestra, and there are echoes of that project in 2023's . The scope is much smaller and the music is less widescreen than it is quirky indie film, but the mood is quite similar. , as always, captures much of the ennui of the age with resigned vocals and lyrical concerns dealing with the frustrating indignities of the times, and his small band proves up to the task of creating musical backings that fit that mood perfectly. It's not a splashy album in the way that many of his works have been; the feeling is a little muted, even when they get funky and a little Brazilian on the dancefloor-friendly "They Sold My Home to Build a Skyscraper." Everything feels snug and a little melancholy, something that's aided by the strings and horns that sweep across the arrangements like a warm breeze. The occasional baroque country accents like tinkling piano runs and massed backing vocals that pop up from time to time also give the album a peaceful, lived-in feel, and at times comes across like a less grumpy or, on the truly lovely ballad "I Tendered My Resignation," like a weary singing some of 's bleakest-ever lyrics. The album might be dialed down a few notches from his usual fare, but even so, the beguiling nature of the melodies and the beauty of the arrangements give the record all sorts of color and life. Case in point, one of the record's best songs, "Celestial Candyfloss," embodies the dichotomy at work here: bubbling verses punctuated by ringing vocal harmonies, humming strings, conga drums, and -style piano melt into half-tempo dreamlike choruses that swoon peacefully as sings lugubriously into his pillow. Much of the album follows a very similar template, and the result is that is both uplifting and comforting at once. It's also just different enough from most of his other work that it feels fresh and exciting, providing more evidence that is one of the most interesting and satisfying singer/songwriters of any era. ~ Tim Sendra