There are ecstatic moments, like his repeated refrain, “Yeah, everything has been going so well.” But even as he celebrates in one breath, the next he backpedals into the doubt and fear that he’s known for and relied upon. “How come it feels like I’m losing / when they all say / that I’m making them proud.” Becoming sober over the last six months is a theme that comes up a number of times on the album, as well as relationships that have buoyed him: “Without you I’d have nothing / and I might even be dead.” But he never surrenders his sad boy perspective, as bright as the sound or his outlook gets on the record.

It is commendable, I think, to see an artist who know his purpose so firmly, to act as a mirror to those who suffer with mental distress and the dissonance that life often offers to us. “They don’t care / But I do / Mass market paperback / I wish I was like the rest.” He acts as a soothing companion to those who feel like a sixth finger. His embracing of the popular music trends is a sign that maybe more people feel this way than we would imagine.

It’s a short but fulfilling offering for an artist who never seems to stop offering his beautiful if tragic take on the world. “Everything’s been going so well / And I want this to last.” Though the “light is gone,” there are plenty of silver linings on the album and might be one of his brightest offerings to date. Taking after artists like Father John Misty and newer emotional artists like Powfu, it’s a cathartic set of songs. If you already know of Field Medic, you’ll probably love this collection of songs. If you haven’t yet, this is a good place to start.

Order Light Is Gone 2 by Field Medic HERE