Like a long line of singer/songwriters, Mark Islam's debut album has a roots pop feeling to it. "Dirges in the Dark" is an upbeat affair, despite having a narrative mentioning the death of John Lennon. Musically the song is fairly tame, with a guitar bridge doing enough to make it passable yet slightly over-produced. "Always the Bridesmaid" and especially "Beat-Up El Camino" are superior songs that resemble James Taylor if he'd started his career along Nashville's music row. Harmonies and vocals are the song's biggest assets. Islam's lyrics are another definite asset, although he's not completely economical with them on "If You Had Half a Heart (You'd Be Dangerous)." Unfortunately, "Get Used to It" would be perhaps the album's best track if it wasn't for the vocals sounding like a separate layer atop the musical arrangement. When Islam straddles the line between popular "new" country and roots pop, it's with a great result. "Lose These Blues" has all the trademarks of a radio-friendly country single in its feeling and structure, but is a bit forgettable because of it. The record's centerpiece is a lovable ballad which equates Islam's gentle voice with some lush keyboards. One of the more forgettable songs is "Peace on Earth (What Is It Worth?)." Possessing a early-'50s doo wop thread running throughout, it seems an odd fit on this album. The sleeper on the record is "What'll I Do (About Loving You)?," a downbeat tune that has Islam's vocals shining through. The finale, "Just One Paycheck Away," has a murky quality to it, similar to an acoustic Bruce Springsteen song, perhaps "One Step Back." While it could use a touch of fine-tuning, the record's highlights make the few low points easy to forgive.
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