Yes, there are exceptions to this and pretty much every other rule. �Put There by the Land� really feels like an island of adrenalin shot. The electric guitars come and give the tune a bit of energy. The opening track �Your Rocky Spine� manages to combine a spare frailing banjo backbone with a full rhythm section in the chorus. The result would be called old-timey without Tony Dekker�s unique vocals. The four tracks in between meld slowly into one another, with rare appearances by bass and drums. �Catcher Son� particularly lacks a hook and repeats the same melodic line incessantly. �Changing Colors� lacks a punchy cadence as well. The vocals can�t salvage this tune either and the simplistic lyrics seem a definite afterthought to moody guitar lines: And when the wind takes you, it takes me, too. When you change colours, I change mine, too. Try not to think, and I will try to. When you let go, I will let go, too. And there�s really no more specific lyrical picture in the verse either. Dekker�s vocals sound plaintive and ethereal, quite a bit like Jim James of My Morning Jacket. They fill out the fuller arrangements nicely but cannot salvage the more redundant down-tempo acoustic numbers. Sufjan Stevens did enough of those numbers to last the indie-rock kids a lifetime. The album ends on an up note with the swirling pedal steel of �I Became Awake.� The tempo of this song is still low but the chorus provides a nice contrast adding the much needed rhythm section in at the chorus. The record boasts some strong tracks and strong vocals but quite a bit of filler. Often the chorus harmonies mute the stark power of Dekker�s voice. Unfortunately, the songs generally feel like treading water without a real destination. The band is clearly comfortable hovering at around 50 beats per minute but each of the faster tracks seemed to showcase something not fully developed here. The arrangements were diverse but I found myself yearning for the power of �Your Rocky Spine.� The album couldn�t deliver on the promise of the first track and wound up going in circles without a wind to carry it. Jeff McMahon is a graduate student in the Boston area. He loves organic music of any sort and has enough instruments to create a one-man bluegrass band (if he had the chops). He loves to jam out to his favorite tunes and writes a little poetry as well.