Folk-Punk is the perfect vehicle for the harsh self-assessment, with a hurt-you-to-love-you backbone to this urban fairy tale.

Its a nuanced and understated production that incorporates a very live sound into the dynamics of the arrangement. - photo credit: Lula Hyers

It is Blues, it is Soul, and it is the clear synergy of both a strong writers point-of-view and a kickass backing band.

Its a metaphor about life at 0 degrees Kelvin: the launch, the ride, the mishap, the recovery.

Something about the delay on the guitar, the combo organ, the piano with heavy reverb, and the stuttered arrangement brings out the natural power of melody.

With a machine groove that smacks of dance-pop and a vocal track that at times hits on rap inflection, this is a terrific example of genre crossover.

There is a distinct minimalism to the vocal mix here: instead of stacking parts on top of the lead vocal, ARLO opted instead for a few small contrapuntal lines and atmospheric elements from the rhythm section.

The vocals are subtle, the affect is confident, and there is the vaguely orchestral skeleton living inside the drum mix.