The album as a whole is far from definable: at times rock, at times pop, at times head-bopping and at others so dramatic and haunting. The album remains a cohesive whole thanks to his clear and compelling vocals accompanied by crisp melodies– standard instrumentals yet with creative combinations reminiscent of Spoon or Elliot Smith or...well, it really depends on the song.
It’s somewhat difficult to choose favorites because each song has it’s own sense of place, it’s own distinct mood. Between them Cohn has woven an emotional tapestry of gains and losses.
However, I will say that my favorites of the entire album include the first track, “Away From Here,” which is a great taste test of what to expect from Cohn. Actually, I think it’s the best song out of the eleven tracks, so it starts you off on the right beat. The second runner up is “All the Way With You,” minus the above-mentioned lyric (I just can’t find it within myself to accept that line within the context of this daunting yet sexy piece). “Wilderness” and “Breakaway” also deserve honourable mentions.
There are points where I feel Cohn leans too heavily on his influences, particularly Elliot Smith. Yet in reading his biography I gather that Cohn is in the dawning of having found his musical voice, as he himself words it, and in this respect, he is on his way. The sound is right and I think in future albums we can look forward to Cohn’s muse settling deeper and deeper into its home.
