Despite being a member of Band of Horses since 2007, Ryan Monroe doesn't make solo music that sounds much like that group's. There are touches—a chorus of voices here, a meditational moment there—but Monroe mostly creates a fanciful circus of sound. The title track harbors a love for Wings and Electric Light Orchestra, with a '70s copyright date stamped on it somewhere near the piano. "Turning Over Leaves" further captures that melodic feel. It's been reported that Monroe had more than a hundred songs written when he found a break in Band of Horses' touring schedule and booked a studio with producer Chris Testa (Jimmy Eat World). The variety astounds. "Blame the Daylight" throws tremoloed electric guitars over an acoustic one, with a breezy lead vocal worthy of a Southern Californian band. This Mississippian's roots show up in the bluesy solos of "On the Beach," but it's evident from the finished product that Monroe's real influences were found on the radio of his youth.