Not like it's an anomaly for the Magnetic Fields, but bitterness seems to be a theme on this record. This edge doesn't make witty f-you's such as "I Don't Believe You"**** and sarcastic ballad "I Die"**** any less amusing, though extending the theme with overly-simplistic disco-new wave "I Thought You Were My Boyfriend" and forced cheeriness of "I Don't Really Love You Anymore" forebodes a heavy-handed breakup album theme (Oh, and all the titles start with the letter 'I' - in case you were wondering if there is a theme). On the other side, "If There's Such A Thing As Love"**** is refreshingly easy AM pop, and "I Looked All Over Town"**** is the earnest wistfullness of the ragamuffin outsider. A significant portion of the album is sluggish, and the interesting atmosphere of "Infinitely Late At Night" dissipates as verses like 'it's still getting later and later and later, I feel like I'm in a falling elevator, I'd kill for a drink but I can't find a waiter, I really believe he's gone home, o God I wish I could go home' drone on with no payoff in sight. The jazzy torch song formula works better on a more pronounced interpretation in "Is This What They Used To Call Love". While lousy with draggy tempos and twinkly harpsichord (very appropriate for a song called "In An Operetta"), the second half of the album is more consistent than the first, and ends with "It's Only Time"**** where melody, sincerity, elegant acoustic and e-bowed guitars meet to create beauty.
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