Even The Jayhawks' late-career records show a band pushing its sound to the absolute limits. On tunes like "Big Star", the group remain as loud and thrashing as ever, with Gary Louris delivering his sweet, pining vocals over distorted guitars and a beat that's heavy on the crash cymbal. "Lies in Black & White", on the other hand, goes acoustic, with Louris sounding almost weathered as he dissects the local news over melancholy piano.