With two fantastic albums already released, this latest effort by Jack Tatum's Wild Nothing signals that not only has he maintained his ability to create great music, he's progressed tremendously, both lyrically and musically. Life of Pause is an early contender for the best album of 2016, and its ability to offer both silky smooth moments and then transition seamlessly into groovier moments (sometimes within the same track), makes for a dynamic album. Let's go track-by-track:1. "Reichpop" - This is the best song on the album, and currently my favorite track of 2016. Perfectly crafted build-up which transitions into a burst of lush instrumentation and well layered vocals. A fantastic way to open an album. 5/52. "Lady Blue" - This is a super smooth track with an outro that keeps the listener coming back for more. The transition that happens from 3:08-3:36 is top notch, and the final minute and a half finds itself among the best moments on the album. 5/53. "A Woman's Wisdom" - This is one of those tracks that balances smooth vocals and a groovy bassline/lead guitar combo to perfection. Great lyrics on this one as well. It also features a dreamy outro which stands in stark contrast to the next track. 5/54. "Japanese Alice" - Quite the shocker of an intro. I was not expecting anything so heavy on my first listen. I really enjoy the layered lyrics on this one. This track really reminds me of something you'd find among Morrissey's solo discography, especially the fantastic outro (a theme, no?). 4/55. "Life of Pause" - 2nd best track on the album. The vocal melodies on this one are on point, and the lyrics may be the album's best. The second verse's reference to the album title is masterful. A top-shelf track. 5/56. "Alien" - This is a great song. It definitely has a darker vibe compared to the rest of the album (think "Fall From Grace" on Future Islands's Singles), but it doesn't fell out of place following "Life of Pause". The song structure is also shaken up a bit, so as not to feel repetitive which works well in this track's favor. 4.5/57. "To Know You" - This is a fine song. Conjures up a sound eerily similar to Talk Talk's "It's My Life", but Tatum said in an AMA that it was unintentional, and I believe him. Not sure if this track needed to be nearly 6 minutes, but I don't ever feel the need to skip it. The bassline on this one is stellar. 4/58. "Adore" - This track features some great lyrical work. The acoustic guitar was also a great choice. Tatum said the album cover was meant to evoke a feeling of a certain space the album occupied, and this track evokes a scene not only with its lyrics, but its instruments and progression. This song almost has a psychedelic vibe to it, which helps it greatly stick out from being just another album track. 4/59. "TV Queen" - This is a great one, probably 3rd best on the album. Tatum delivers another killer bassline coupled nicely with a string arrangement intro. The vocal work (doubled up) is also a major highlight. This one is sure to get stuck in your head. 5/510. "Whenever I" - Tatum claims this is his favorite on the album, and who could blame him. Another track that features a smooth verse-groovy chorus combo. Also some hints of David Bowie on this one musically during the intro and outro. 5/511. "Love Underneath My Thumb" - Probably my least favorite on the album, but I don't dislike it a bit. The intro comes right out of the 90s (Smashing Pumpkins-esque). This, like "To Know You", has a runtime of 6 minutes, which feels a but excessive, but I don't want to diminish what Tatum did on this record by being overly critical of the last track. I just wish the album went out on more of a high note. 3.5/5