It’s a Job explores a numbness created by neglecting oneself for too long. This loss of hope and interest in betterment could potentially be read in the line “hoping she don’t follow me back home” as a metaphor for fear of change that’s outside one’s comfort zone. Instrumentally, this is a really immersive indie folk composition with a great mix, bright acoustic guitar tones, and complimenting percussion. What’s more, Jon Lajoie’s vocal performances are intimate and heartfelt, as well as nicely harmonised.

Mid-High 8.

I Forgot takes the gradual self-loss of the last track and seemingly changes it to be about neglecting another person. It’s also entirely possible that the speaker might be referring to themselves in the second person. Overall, however, the songwriting is not as engaging as in the opener. On the sonic side of things, the cut feels slightly inconsistent because of the chorus that isn’t all that fitting and —personally— hurts the structure because of its slow, minimal approach and the unaccompanied vocals. However, the verses (as well as the second half of the choruses for that matter), the buildup and the massive, inspiring breakdown definitely make up for this with evocative melodies and lush instrumentation.

Low-Mid 8.

Pigeon Lady has absolutely fantastic lyricism and storytelling surrounding the protagonist, a *pigeon lady* who accepts and finds solace in her current life —and her fate— while melancholically reminiscing about (and addressing) someone she once met. This is one of the songs that is based on a movie but remains heartwarming even outside of that context. Moreover, the rich, acoustic, and reverb-adorned instrumental, along with the slightly downhearted albeit touching melodic arrangements complement the candid lyricism to a wonderful extent. All in all, it’s beautifully emotional and bittersweet.

High 8.

Todd and Janelle references the Voights, the foster parent characters in the Terminator 2 movie. It also contains quotes from it, spoken by Todd before his death. Outside of this, the songwriting emphasises the stale relationship of the characters, painfully portraying the antagonistic role they have taken in each other’s life. Sonically, the song follows suit and complements the emotive lyrics with a fantastic structure, something worth mentioning because of the chemistry between every section — with emphasis on the beautiful bridge. This passage comes across as a rich change of pace that refreshes the whole flow of the cut.

Mid-High 8.

A New Beginning sees Jon Lajoie detailing his experience watching the 1985 movie *Friday the 13th: A New Beginning* as a kid. The ending line, “I fell in love as he murdered you” is ambiguous, as it could be either referring to his falling in love with the horror genre or a sarcastic way to express the intense shock he went through after watching a scene that’s gruesome for a child. Audibly, this is another track that uses an amazing buildup-heavy structure to create a fantastically emotive cut with great flow and cohesion. The layered vocals of the final moments of the song make this the record’s most standout example of this approach, personally.

High 8.

No Reason At All explores a manipulative relationship dynamic, where there is an unhealthy need and undervaluation by the speaker. It’s, however, nuanced and feels quite genuine as the singer tells their partner that they are worth little until in the bridge the protagonist makes it clear that they come from a place of insecurity in a childish and hurtful way. On the other hand, Instrumentally, it’s a really enjoyable and calm cut, though it’s maybe overly laid-back and not all that ambitious. Regardless, the chorus is memorable and evocative enough to make up for this and produce a loveable song.

Low 8.

Everything Is Happening Right Now seems to be about someone struggling with dependence, as they are mostly only able to function through their need of someone else. The silver lining is an urging to be in the present moment in order to stop mental “fabrications” and the aforementioned reliance. Sonically, it’s fun and energetic, but this approach comes off as overly peppy and somewhat insincere. It’s by no means egregious, but it’s also not all that fitting with the rest of the album.

Low-Mid 7.

Never Me is a somewhat cryptic lyrical undertaking, potentially depicting someone that lost themselves in the context of a relationship. There are mentions of how they followed their (possible) partner’s tracks and abandoned themselves in the process; leading to the eventual fizzling out of their relationship. This is apparently condemned as having been immature with the “little girls/boys line”. Audibly, the cut has an admirable chemistry between the serious, slightly sombre, though still bright verses and the sensitive albeit explosive hook. These wonderful compositional aspects are accentuated by a powerful set of heartfelt and passionately delivered vocal performances, especially on the chorus.

Low 9.

Marie-Eve is a wholesome song of a young Jon Lajoie experiencing and acting on the effects of puppy love. This is explored through wholly endearing and childlike songwriting. The very folky and charming direction of the cut fits this nicely as well. Moreover, the chorus comes from out of nowhere in the most alluringly unexpected way. All in all, this is a really heartwarming, as well as beautifully composed and performed track.

High 8.

Running From My Savior: here, the “savior” mentioned is juxtaposed with a reclaiming of autonomy in the “I am God”. Overall, this could possibly detail someone’s deserting of religion, and trying to leave the fear of what this implied behind; giving themselves strength in the repetition of this affirmation. Initially, this closing track comes across as a grandly arranged, emotively performed and well-mixed cut. Having said this, the song becomes a tad repetitive after a while, and the chorus is somewhat middling. This is disappointing in a record that is so skillfully able to introduce interesting passages and contrasting sections to complement each other.

Mid-High 7.