What I look for is intensity, or better yet conviction. There is a massive sound here, combined with searching ambition. Son's lines are uniquely introspective, with moments that made me want to stop the song and write something down: "Check the depths of my reaches, man/Where the secrets ran/And all the broken pieces land". Generally, the songs make you want to stand up straighter, and the lyrics ring with the credibility of a street poet's authority, vulnerable yet commanding: "Check your jeans, miss/Cause I hit the scene with/Everything you dream with".I agree with past reviewers that this album is different from all the bland corporate product of the new millenium. Like the better rock albums of the last decade, this album is thoughtful and gets its thunder from distilling personal experiences. It's rocks harder for being honest and you'll know the difference.