On this follow-up to 2004's Winged Life, Shearwater show off their delicate dreariness in a concise manner, providing you with a brief glimpse at their solemn motif. As it's only a five-song EP, let's just have a sequential rundown.

Opener "I Can't Wait" follows its sparse guitar progression with a wailing chorus that's vaguely reminiscent of Roy Orbison -- not necessarily in how it sounds, but in the manner in which the vocals set an operatic tone for the decidedly non-operatic music. "Your the Coliseum" is more subdued, holding to a slow, even shuffle as violin, banjo, and vibes flutter in the background. "Mountain Laurel" picks up the tempo with a solid banjo riff and steady snare beat, gradually building the tension until violin and vocals bring the song to its climax. "There's a Mark Where You Were Breathing", all lingering acoustic guitars, recalls a bleak Leonard Cohen number (is there any other kind?), and closer "Near a Garden" is probably the most memorable track in the bunch -- partially because it's the most upbeat, but mainly due to Will Sheff's content yet apprehensive vocals.

Shearwater's stark arrangements aren't too different from any number of independent Americana/country/folk/sadcore bands, but their sincerity is a gentle ray of hope in the midst of all that desolation. If you're not familiar with Shearwater's somber epics, Thieves is a decent place to begin; just make sure you listen to it by yourself, in a dark room.