Originally written off as a nonthreatening rejoinder to Jeff Buckley, Duncan Sheik has quietly redeemed himself since his self-titled 1996 debut. Trading in the airy detachment of previous releases for a more immediate sound, the New York singer-songwriter's fourth album fizzes with electronics, distortion, and a newfound pop sensibility. Producer Patrick Leonard (Madonna, Jewel, Elton John) keeps things bright and breezy, forcefully shaking Sheik's predisposition for Nick Drake-style moodiness on wonderfully optimistic numbers like "On a High" and "Start Again.
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