Mark Mulcahy’s fourth solo album—and his first in eight years—may explore dark topical matter, but while this is a collection of vivid tales about hustlers, infatuation, femme fatales and suicide, the album never feels like a downer. Perhaps it is Mulcahy’s “beat but not beaten” attitude that exudes from his witty and insightful lyrics, or maybe it’s the playful and quirky sound reminiscent of The Kinks that results in a pleasant listen from start to finish. From a craftsmanship perspective, the songs are of the sparse and straightforward kind, much like the college rock heard on the radio in the ’80s and ’90s by bands like R.E.M. and Mulcahy’s former outfit, Miracle Legion. It just might be his finest release to date.