Damien Jurado's fourth in a string of self-produced albums, The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania is the third straight to feature only multi-instrumentalist Josh Gordon at his side. The inaugural release on Jurado's own Maraqopa Records, it consists of ten intimate character sketches in line with the same poetic group of albums. The first and most expansive of these, 2018's The Horizon Just Laughed, looked to somewhat obscure pop-culture references for inspiration, resulting in poignant snapshots with titles that name-checked bandleader Percy Faith, author Thomas Wolfe, and Marvin Kaplan, an actor with a recurring role on the 1970s and '80s sitcom Alice. Among The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania's offerings is "Song for Langston Birch," another character from the Alice TV universe (portrayed by character actor William Bogert). A wistful, whispery tune in triplet time, its circular guitar chord progression, dancing bassline, and skeletal percussion are eventually joined by ghostly vocal harmonies and touches of vintage keys, strings, and horns as Jurado asks, "Would you tell me that you want me? Would you throw me back lightly into the diamond sea?" -- the latter phrase a possible further pop-culture allusion contained within just one of Jurado's evocative, inscrutable sketches. Opener "Helena" takes the form of a jaunty, supernatural country tune that includes the repeated line, "The world is a liar, the stars are a must." Elsewhere, the dreamier "Dawn Pretend" has a spacy bossa undertone, while the solo "Hiding Ghosts" haunts with its fragile vocal delivery and cracked high notes on what sounds like a live take ("I'll do my best to remember 'falling fences' is the password/That lets me into your room where you hide your ghosts"). Joined together by their quiet profundity and themes of overcoming hardship, the songs close (too quickly at under half an hour) on the stunning "Male Customer #1," which tips its hat to Jurado's friend and frequent collaborator, the late Richard Swift, with its echoing, far-distant shadow vocals. While The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania doesn't necessarily break new ground, it's a strong, affecting set from a songwriter who proves himself among the elite at doing more with less. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi

1		Helena
2		Tom
3		Dawn Pretend
4		Song for Langston Birch
5		Minnesota
6		Johnny Caravella
7		Joan
8		Hiding Ghosts
9		Jennifer
10		Male Customer #1

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