Beautiful Things (Deluxe Version)

In between Anthony Green’s 2008 debut album, Avalon, and his 2012 sophomore outing, Beautiful Things, the prolific singer/songwriter got married and fathered a son. It shouldn't come as a surprise that these songs reflect a newfound optimism, starting with “If I Don’t Sing.” In this densely layered rock tune, Green admits that the only thing that could make him unhappy amid these life changes would be if he somehow couldn't sing about them. In the similarly exuberant “Just To Feel Alive,” he sounds like a higher-pitched Conor Oberst, churning out a dazzling choir of self-harmonized vocals that gel together with a sprawling sonic panorama. He even sings a song directly to his son with “Lullaby”: a waltzing bedtime ballad that’s more endearing than precious. Aware that too much sunshine can cause sickness, Green delivers the dark and angsty rocker “Can’t Have It All at Once” and the moody, dub-dappled “When I’m on Pills.” “Soul 4 My Soul” on the deluxe version is a sunny standout.