That a record with such a plug-ugly cover would house such beautifully melodic pop is just one of the many contradictions that propel 's ; anthemic yet understated, honeyed yet acerbic, it's first and foremost a collection of piano ballads that possesses absolutely none of the sentimentality and romanticism that the style almost uniformly engenders. Though 's adenoidal vocals recall and his superbly arranged melodies evoke early , he's nevertheless a complete original: his arch lyrics -- equal parts social commentary and stand-up comedy -- are consistently superb, and his songs ebb and flow with cabaret-like flair. Reveling in a kind of corrupted gentility, is by turns playful and malicious -- sophistication at its most scabrous. ~ Jason Ankeny