Omaha, Nebraska songwriter has long taken cues from classic rock and jam bands for his music, twisting the influence of rootsy starting points like -assisted , the , and mid-'70s into far noisier and experimental forms. is one of the clearest examples of this approach, with recording detailed, classic rock-informed tunes by himself in a scrappy home studio, resulting in a pleasantly dazed fidelity and shambling delivery of straightforward songs. Throughout the 11-song set, plays almost every instrument, being joined only occasionally by other players. The fuzzy, direct-to-tape sound in combination with shaky performances gives the entire album a woozy, distant feel. The repeating chorus from "The Merchandise" borrows a melody from an early tune and sings it with -level swagger. The influence of the shows up on album standout "Gentle Traitor" as well, with dual guitar leads harmonizing over a smiling tropical rhythm. Instead of presenting the song's summery hooks with clarity, coats the entire track in a loud woosh of phaser, obscuring any moments of accessibility in a wash of noise. Other songs have cleaner recording but maintain a cloudy atmosphere. 's vocals are distorted and low in the mix on the -nicking "July Sunrise," and the minimal stomp of "When the Covers Come Off" sounds like a song that could have been left off of for being too muddy by even that album's murky standards. The combination of roots rock reference points and lo-fi production becomes 's defining element. offers a ragged reconfiguration of familiar styles and makes them his own by pushing them into weird new places. ~ Fred Thomas