Chuck Prophet is a man I love, a man whom I’ve seen live more times than I can count, yet it seems that with each album that passes between my fingers, there are fewer and fewer songs I dig. I know the arguments, I’ve made them time and time again, artists change, artists develop, great artists have no desire to repackage the same material over and over ... but for the life of me, I don’t get where Chuck is going. His music sounds jagged, disjointed, disconnected, and wondering; like the man’s got too much speed running though his system, though perhaps I just get this uncomfortable feeling from his extremely high pitched notes, and unearthly, cats in the moonlight harmonies.Chuck’s songs roll on reminding me of those laid down by the great Jim Carroll, and it wasn’t until the track “Hot Talk” blistered from my speakers that I finally felt at home, comfortable, and ready for the top down ride, and then it was all over. So I’ll drop this single song onto my iPod because it blisters, because it rocks, because it’s real, because it reminds me of all Chuck Prophet should and could be at this stage of his career. Though as good as this song is, if Chuck hasn't sent Greg Kihn a check, he certainly should, because he's absolutely built "Hot Talk" around Greg's "The Break Up Song [They Don't Write 'Em Like That Anymore]."Prior to the release of this album I remember Chuck saying, "When I got into music, I signed up for the adventure. As for my next record maybe I'll go to Mexico City and make an emo record. I haven't really formed it in my mind, but I'm kind of working on an uninhibited, quasi-political record for nonpolitical people like myself. We're living in an anxious time, and I think it's a good time to let the world in a little bit." As for the “adventure,” I fully understand and appreciate the places he’s been, and the things he’s seen. As to his description of these being “anxious times ...,” they certainly are, it’s just that hearing those words come out of Chuck's mouth then, and hearing the music now, I must admit that the man actually achieved all he set out to do. He’s captured these uncomfortable, anxious times perfectly ... I’m just not sure that this is what I want to listen to for entertainment at the end of a long day.Review by Jenell Kesler