Working once again with producer for 2018's , adheres to the meticulously sculpted soundscapes he patented on his 2013 solo debut, , but the guitarist's perspective has shifted. Faced with the political tumult of the late 2010s, concentrates on essential humanist traits, crafting songs that aren't so much protests as wishes for a better, kinder world. Empathy is the engine of and the characteristic that separates the album from its two predecessors, and . Take away these open-hearted pleas and is virtually identical to its cousins, a gleaming collection of old-fashioned college rock that fuses the skyscraping six-string theatrics of with the cool, stylish affectations of . doesn't disguise the skill fueling his craft, so is more accomplished than compelling, but there is pleasure in hearing how all the parts fit together so tidily. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine