Well, I guess the outpouring of creativity from the last two albums couldn't go on forever. More strumming, less plucking this time around. One Step Ahead, the second track on the album, sounds like Jandek is angrily strumming away on his acoustic guitar while thinking of the bills or something similarly interesting. In general however, this sounds closer to the first two albums: sparse, whispered vocals (slightly more emotions come through here and there) over murky music. Some nice touches on a few songs where he is accompanied by a metronome (?) and the harmonica makes a small return appearance (albeit a less spastic one) on Alexandria Knows. Crime Pays is the real head-scratcher on this one. Good, but a disappointment after the last two.