Word to the wise or curious or not: you want to make me happy, make more records like this. I really wouldn't mind being completely overwhelmed by the new brand of electro-lounge-pop that's been trickling in from overseas, mostly from Europe and Japan. There was this brief, shining moment in the past decade where everyone wanted to sound like Sonic Youth and suddenly I could listen to the radio again, I'm hoping that happens again with this stuff.

Mr. Wright reminds me a lot of Soft Cell (but with better vocals and not even half as electronic intensive) or even some of the early Cure stuff (but not as poppy). It's very sad and deep and beautiful and insular, and I was so happy to get it in the mail. For some strange reason, this is music that really sticks with me. I hear the songs here in my dreams, when I wake up, when I'm walking to the grocery store, etc.-and that almost never happens anymore. I do have to say, however, that as much as I love this CD, I liked his previous album, "The Fancy Man," even better.