The debut solo effort from the frontman and namesake of Grammy Award-winning folk-rockers , sees eschewing the sonic finery of his flagship band for a (mostly) paired-down set of deeply introspective songs. The overarching theme is confronting one's past, whether it be through grievance, acceptance, or atonement. addresses all three responses in the powerful and discomforting opener "Cannibal," revealing an incident of childhood sexual abuse with a rawness that lingers long after the hopeful strains of the gospel-tinged album closer, "How," fade. Thankfully, the jubilant follow-up "Grace" offers some respite, with declaring, "Well, how should we proceed?/Without things getting too heavy/Even though I'd never tell you everything/I could've sworn I'd dropped that bomb on you already" over a wall of double-tracked acoustics and a melody torn from the pages of the / songbook. The remainder of working through the twin traumas of sexual and substance abuse with signature earnestness and empathy, and with a little help from his friends ("Stonecatcher"), ("Dangerous Game"), and ("How"). His inclination to bring every piece of music -- no matter how emotionally fraught -- to a fist-pumping crescendo has been tempered a bit, but it's still his ace, and he plays it when cornered. Anchored by ' tasteful and creative production, the ten-song set feels like a small step forward for . It's both rooted in the past and primed for the future, like an exorcism gone right. ~ James Christopher Monger