RJD2

Much of what was wrong with The Third Hand is avoided here by stripping away the vocals. That doesn’t completely salvage this album but it does buoy the tracks that had any potential. Sweeping the vocals aside reveals that Third Hand is indebted more to hip-hop than the folksy indie pop our man was trying to produce. The drum rolls in "Work It Out” tumble around to great delight, as they did two albums prior on Deadringer, reminding us of the joy of what came before. Some of the best characteristics in RJD2’s beats were his vocal samples. They continue to haunt with "Get It,” which benefits the most from what’s been exorcised. Free to explore only its aural textures, mystery throbs in every crack of this record. Songs like "Someday” or "The Bad Penny” trip only because they either lack character or venture too far into indie wankery. However, this is an improvement.