My Two Cents: howsweethowcruel

Truly a lyrical dichotomy, Josh Schicker's latest release, howsweethowcruel, examines themes of both contentment and discontent. Nearly two years of marriage seem to have served Schicker well, as the singer-songwriter sounds more content -- and, at the same time, discontent -- than ever. This burgeoning artist appears to have awakened to the world around him and writes about personal, national, and global crises just as passionately as he does about his new wife. While his last album, Moonlighting, may have been his most "successful" project to date, it seemed to be the most sterile. Thankfully for long-time fans, hshc is a return to the earnest performances that garnered Schicker's following in the first place. All profits from hshc -- a live, seven-track EP -- will be donated to Blood:Water Mission.