Rachel Ware had departed. Nothing Painted Blue's Peter Hughes had stuck around, and most importantly the Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox was at Darnielle's side when he wanted to vent his spleen. "New Britain" starts things, with passionately strummed acoustic guitar blaring forth and Darnielle wailing at the top of his range; the boombox's whirr adds to the heat-of-the-moment vibe. "Snow Owl," on the other hand, has a quieter, understated performance that suggests where Darnielle's music will soon go with greater frequency. "Twin Human Highway Flares" introduces a young couple in love who'll find their moment of revelation in the song that follows, "Weekend in Western Illinois," where Bob Durkee's organ adds necessary color to the fulfillment of dreams. 2000's The Coroner's Gambit would be even more consistent, but Full Force Galesburg contains seeds of that career highpoint.