's stellar debut, , was recorded at home on a four-track, with playing just about every note on the record. The modus operandi for is still the same, but the results are even better. He traded in his four-track for an eight-track, so the production values are a good bit higher. In addition, while many of the tunes on sounded like homages to 's many influences ( , ), those influences are much more thoroughly assimilated on . Not that the songs sound similar to each other, it's that the different styles now all reflect as much or more than the inspiration, giving the album a better flow and a more personalized sound. And what a wonderful sound it is. A lazy, folky , similar to , but with homemade Wall of Sound production. Even upon first listen, these songs have such a familiar quality, you'll think you've been hearing them for years. has a great knack for wordplay, and can turn out some wonderful and strange lyrics. There's a lot going on in some of the tracks (guitars, bells, theremins, double-tracked vocals, who knows what else), but the music never sounds cluttered; really has mastered the art of self-recording, supplying tons of detail in the music but never stepping on himself. He likes to record as he's writing, and doesn't do a lot of takes on anything. This freshness comes through on the album, along with a sense that this all comes easily to ; the songs are well-crafted but retain a certain loose feel, which can be a difficult balancing act. puts 's talents into even sharper focus than his debut, not only as a composer/performer but as producer/engineer as well. As the major labels clamor to sign (and probably drop) the next knockoff, let's hope stays at home, kicking out the homemade jams without regard for the outside world. Recommended. ~ Sean Westergaard