Wilco members John Stirratt and Pat Sansone have turned their side project into a well-regarded musical group capable of standing on their own. Fifteen years and five albums of solid ‘70s-influenced Laurel Canyon–flavored pop music will do that to an endeavor. At this point, there are Autumn Defense fans who've paid little attention to the duo’s day job with Wilco. For their Fifth album, AD recorded at Chicago’s Black Sheep, Minbal, and Mixon Administration studios, with all the members of the live group in attendance to create a bandlike chemistry. You could believe that songs like the opening trio—“None of This Will Matter,” “This Thing That I’ve Found," and “I Can See Your Face”—were actually heard on AM radios back in 1972, so thorough is this dedication to strong melodies, soothing harmonies, and laid-back, in-the-pocket rhythm sections topped with electric pianos and acoustic guitars. The careful arrangements and pristine musicianship throughout this suggests that musicians who would've been most valuable in previous decades can now be found on the margins.