As disparate as debut {^Novena on a Nocturn} was, {^Black Out} is even more courageous. The album employs moodier instrumentation, creating a melancholic disposition that's as discomfiting as it is winsome. Though the record can get quite intense (and with the stark, dark lyrics of {$Tim Kasher}, often delivered in an eerie baritone, things get quite profound and stay that way even after it's over), it is definitely the mellowest drama he's been involved with to date. The '80s feel of the debut resurfaces, especially on the Americana-esque {&"Off The Beaten Path}, " and the discordantly memorable {&"Empty Bed,"} which reminds of {$The Cure}'s {$Robert Smith} singing along to a {$Fixx} melody that {$U2} is playing. While this prominent vibe does rekindle a somewhat nostalgic musing, make no mistake: Black Out is a thoroughly modern invocation possessing a subdued, almost unspoken power that is even more so by being so consciously clear of clutter. ~ Brian O'Neill, All Music Guide