Cost Of Living

Veering from tender ballads and swirling samples to intellectual pop and tape loop experimentation, The Cost of Living is an album of exquisitely crafted rock songs, lush orchestration and sophisticated lyrics. From the psychedelic wonder of 'The Accident' to the fragile beauty of 'Hawaii,' from the ornate loops of 'That's Not Me' to the bruising sincerity of the title track, it's an incredibly varied yet cohesive record. David Singer's lyrics are penetrating and poetic to the core, but fragile and unpretentious in a way that makes each song unusually personal to the listener. With subject matter including car crashes and one night stands, existential longing and evolution, introspection and hopeful sweetness, this is undoubtedly one of the most sincere records of 2001. (Deep Elm)