Sweden's Jens Lekman always sings straight from the heart, an approach that's frequently endearing and occasionally embarrassing, or sometimes both at once. He makes his songs awkward by design, shoving wordy narratives, detailed confessions, and broad jokes into lovely melodies that just barely contain them. His tunes, lusher and more layered here than on his previous efforts, can be just as peculiar as his tales. "It Was A Strange Time In My Life" recalls a period spent, among other details, flirting with a girl in sign language ("…'cause she was deaf") to the accompaniment of a delicate flute and a loop of a child's nonsense syllables. It may burrow into your dreams, whether you want it to or not.
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