Ryan Scott has some good numbers on this album, particularly the opening title track that walks on a tightrope between melancholic singer/songwriters like
David Gray or
Elliott Smith and
americana bands like
Knife in the Water and
Cowboy Junkies. The title track is a slow, somewhat mournful number accented by the organ playing of
Ben Stivers. And he revisits this musical territory with an up-tempo, wordy "Love Thy Neighbor (Hell Is Here)" which sounds like stream of consciousness
poetry put to music. Meanwhile, "You Might Change Your Mind" resembles a slightly summery B-side that
John Mayer might have created for his Heavier Things album. Again he returns for this surefire
adult contemporary brand of
pop with "You, Girl" which is the album's first real highlight. Unfortunately,
Scott gets too sweet for the retro
funk-meets-
soul of "Later" that doesn't quite hit its target. The same can be said for the rather jazzy
pop oozing out of "Watch Out" that descends into jam band chaos. The longer the album goes, though, the more
Scott opts for the funky format. A good example of this is "Riding a Cloud" that resembles artists like
Daniel Powter. The album concludes with a lengthy, awkward "Unrequited" that loses steam and focus halfway in. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide
