Unlike his debut, Torchsongs (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006), which reflected a study in spontaneous interplay, for this recording Udden wrote the compositions and recorded all instruments before revealing the music to the band. He continued to edit and rewrite, as his band—most whom are recording artists for Fresh Sound—continued to reshape these songs together for over the course of a year, until all reached the cohesive yet genre-bending, satisfying result.

The opening title track offers an immediate intimacy in its catchy, gentle melody and its marrying of country, surf rock and blues into a balanced and complementing musical stew. The punkish free-form waltz "Red Coat Lane" sounds at first like an arrangement for an obscure Tom Waits song but, as the song progresses, Udden keeps developing his own sonic stamp. "Curbs" leans on a rock-steady, twangy guitar, suggested masterfully by Brandon Seabrock, while the entire band embraces the powerful riff with a swinging coating. Udden's "Christmas Song" is a beautiful seasonal song that evolves around a memorable waltz theme.

"695" alludes, in its opening, to the 1970s-era country-laden ECM compositions of