1x*****, 3x****
Opening with subtlety and class, "Either Way"**** evolves gracefully with Lennon-esque turns and a gorgeous Nils Cline solo. Either way also has the only time Jeff's vocal soulfully rises above a croon. "Impossible Germany"***** is sometimes too subtle for its own good, while its repetitive lyrics trip over each other. All hinges around the sparkling opening riff, until at the instrumental passage that starts at the halfway point evolves until like a boiling frog I don't even realize that my mind has been blown. "Leave Me (Like You Found Me)" and "Walken" are closer to the dense production of Summer Teeth, though they wouldn't be stand-out tracks. Unfortunately, most of the songs resemble the blandly countrified title track; because the great moments follow so much boredom it is best to not pay attention and just let them happen. The problem is that I do and quickly reach for the skip button. "Shake It Off" has quite a different problem. The goofy chorus resembles "Dirty Work" by Steely Dan, and while I have to respect the musicianship and chutzpah, the angular dissonance is ultimately annoying. I also can't take the corny domesticity of "Hate It Here", thought it has cool soul elements, and "What Light" would only sound good on Sesame Street. Despite these seriously objectionable moments, it's worth wading through the slow parts of the album for the instrumental pay dirt. Bluesy by way of The Faces "Side With The Seeds"****, like "Impossible Germany" also hinges on towering instrumental passages, especially Nils Cline's truly wankeriffic solo. Quietly insistent closer "On And On And On"**** does stumble over its repetitive lyrics, but its Traffic-inspired instrument bridge finally ties the song together to more than the sum of its parts.
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