On the follow-up to his 2022 breakthrough, the very popular New England songwriter stretches beyond his comfort zone with the hopes of growing more self-aware, more complex, and more deserving of the spotlight.

Beneath its placid surface, the songwriter’s delicate, minimalist folk conveys a gossamer strength and dogged persistence.

The Chicago composer has achieved viral success with her melancholy instrumental music, but her return to traditional singer-songwriter fare yields mixed results.

On his tightest, most cohesive album, the psych-rocker ditches tape-manipulated obfuscation for a sparkling set of jangle-pop songs that detail the road to recovery.