A reflective sensibility defines Confessions . The old political edge gives way to personal works sculpted with supreme craftsmanship. It's not all misty and gray, of course. Harding's songs, though prickly with hooks, aren't so much memorable as eventful. You don't walk away humming any melodies, but as each tune plays, with its truncated lines and quick tempo shifts, the kaleidoscope of devices demands attention.
Disappointments are few.
Bigger, perhaps, for Harding is his failure to escape the shadow of Elvis Costello, to whom he has been relentlessly compared for years. The greatest disappointment would be the silence that will likely follow Confessions , as another span of time yawns before Harding's next release. At the risk of melting his glacial muse, let's hope for one more before he hits 40. Inc. All rights reserved.