Chicago native Ezra Furman released four albums with his band The Harpoons while attending Tufts University. But the allure of his attic home recording studio led him to record this 12-song solo album with the help of Tim Sandusky. A variety of guests provided percussion, piano, upright bass, and strings, giving the sessions a far grander sound than one might expect from an attic recording. "Sinking Slow" starts with images of Big Star's Third, a wintry mix of wind and piano providing an isolationist vibe; it's met halfway through by a joyous chorus of voices and a bouncy piano riff that interrupts the desperate vibe. "Down" lurks as another potentially dire Alex Chilton–like moment where a piano is held onto for dear life. "Cruel, Cruel World" brings together a pleasant midtempo band to keep things moving, and "That's When It Hit Me" throws together a full-throttle garage-band attack. It's a game of checks and balances. "Bad Man" and "40 Days in Kansas" evoke images of Neil Young warbling his way through tunes at an old piano. "Are You Gonna Break My Heart?" and "Doomed Love Affair" embrace pop melodies worth repeating.