On his fourth solo album, the leader of the Old 97’s returns with a batch of intriguing songs that marry melancholy stories with carefree-sounding tunes. Reeling from the loss of his grandmother and the suicide of his hero, author David Foster Wallace, Miller is clearly dealing with a different kind darkness this time out. In most cases, his downbeat sentiments don’t jibe with his music as well as the resilient words from records past, and romance only rears its head on the final pair of songs: “Lashes,” an atmospheric love song with a lush ‘80s vibe not unlike the Psychedelic Furs, and “Sometimes,” a solo acoustic ditty reminiscent of the Old 97’s classic “Question.” Fortunately, Miller’s buoyant melodies keep the heavier songs afloat. On subdued songs like “Bonfire,” his whispered vocals are perfectly supported by simple acoustic guitar strumming and tremolo-drenched electric leads, but other tracks, like “Caroline,” feel overly arranged and too carefully crafted, shifting awkwardly from driving, compelling choruses back to half-time verses where the parts seem a bit grafted and overdubbed, lacking the immediacy and power of his live performances. It’s when Miller slows down the tempo and turns down the volume that you can truly hear what he's feeling. (Shout Factory, shoutfactory.com)