Although not as hipster-sanctioned as kindred spirits Elliott Smith and Mary Lou Lord, this long, lanky singer/songwriter inhabits similar territory, unspooling smart, seductive tales that are alternately guileless and knowing. As a teenager, Dunnery fronted prog-rock outfit It Bites, but there's little of that pomp in evidence on his solo records--although the clever arrangements do include colorful snippets of brass, accordion, and even mellotron. This, his first outing since leaving the major label ranks, is probably Dunnery's most incisive collection yet, with sardonic gems like "Crazy Is a Pitstop" and "Give Up Your Day Job" guaranteed to elicit a double-take with every listen. --David Sprague