I knew very quickly that Jacob's album was going to be one I had to review. The moment I heard his voice, my first thought was of John Darnielle from The Mountain Goats. That comparison stayed with me throughout the album, but this is very much more than that. Jacob has his own identity, and it doesn't take long for it to shine through.

The album opens with "Past Mistakes", beginning with an intriguing combination of strings and vocals. It gently leads you down a slightly mischievous path before shifting direction, and suddenly it feels like the album is welcoming you with open arms. His voice has a comforting softness, while the music carries that same reassuring quality, as though everything is exactly where it should be.

I loved the opening to "Colorado Low", with its jangly guitars before the bass line arrives and the track begins to motor. I can't adequately describe that feeling of connecting with a song almost instantly. It's like being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time, simply letting the music wash over you. It may sound contradictory, but there's something wonderfully comforting about discovering music that feels immediately familiar.

"Kids" opens with a distinct country flavour, bursting out of the gate with real energy. I wasn't entirely convinced by the vocal effect, with its hint of distortion. I understand what he was aiming for, but I think something a little subtler would have worked better. Even so, it never became distracting enough to take away from the song.

The next track, "Restaurant", also features another former Indie Launchpad reviewee, Dominique Adams. I was secretly hoping for a full duet because I think their voices would work beautifully together. Instead, her contribution comes as understated backing vocals that complement the song perfectly. The track has subtle cowboy and Latin influences, largely coming from the acoustic and jangly guitars. I loved both the lyrics and the way the story unfolds. At times, the metre of the verses even reminded me a little of Leonard Cohen.

When "Older Too" began, my immediate thought was, "Where is he going with this?" It initially feels a little at odds with everything that's come before, but as with the opening track, Jacob seems to enjoy a little musical misdirection. As it unfolds, it proves to be noticeably darker than the earlier songs. While I enjoyed it, I couldn't shake the feeling that it might have been better placed elsewhere on the album. It's entirely possible that impression will change after a few more listens.

As the title suggests, "Intermission" is a brief one-minute diversion that flows naturally out of the previous track before morphing into some delicate guitar work. It almost feels like one of those moments in Scooby-Doo where the gang pause to reflect on everything that's just happened.

"Lack Thereof" continues the album's willingness to shift mood. Whether it's the tempo or simply the atmosphere, it feels different from the surrounding tracks while still carrying that subtle cowboy influence. It's the first song where I found myself thinking more about what was coming next than the track itself, although that may well change with repeated listens.

The irony of the next track, "Downer", is that as soon as I heard the opening bars, that rush of excitement returned. It has one of those melodies that grabs hold immediately, while the lyrics carry a vulnerable sweetness that's impossible not to warm to. It's such a wonderful song that I ended up listening to it several times back to back.

"Beneath It All" feels very much like a live recording, and it certainly has a noticeably different sound from the rest of the album. For me, it doesn't quite have that same spark, but it's still a lovely track with some beautiful string arrangements. I found myself wishing for a deeper string voice, perhaps a cello, to emerge towards the end and add a little extra emotional weight. That's purely my own take.

The opening instrument on "Winters" (I'm guessing either a xylophone or a vibraphone) provides a wonderful foundation on which the rest of the song is built, especially once the drums join in. The vocals and lyrics sit perfectly together, giving the song that irresistible "play it again" quality. My only complaint is that it seemed to end far too soon.

The album concludes with "It's Alright", and it quickly becomes apparent that it's the perfect closer. It has the feeling of tying up every loose end, slowly and thoughtfully wrapping the album up with quiet confidence. The accompanying vocals are subtle but exactly what's needed.

Despite a couple of moments that didn't resonate with me quite as strongly as others, they really are the exceptions. This is an absolutely cracking album from another hugely talented Canadian artist. It won me over almost immediately and has left me looking forward to hearing whatever Jacob does next.