Love As Laughter - Holy

Holy (2008, Epic) Love As Laughter's sixth studio album. ***

Holy can be a magical album when it works well, and when it doesn't, it can put you to sleep. What's more, some of the songs take several listens to expose themselves as the gems that they are, which can be frustrating for an album that doesn't necessarily earn all the listens it takes to soak up everything. When it's on, though, you'd think they were geniuses. The title track is pure John Lennon, a track that would have fit perfectly in any of the Beatles' last albums. "Konny and Jim," has their trademark sound with a little bit of Band of Horses mixed in. The album's grand point is "Cleaning Man," a story-told song that grows with intensity and somewhat sparse (and ridiculous) lyrics, a perfect model for what Van Morrison should return to, albeit it is no masterpiece. But there are bumps as well, such as the painfully loud "Paul Revere." Holy may not be the best thing around, but it is well worth a listen.