Over the past decade, Cass McCombs has established himself as one of our premier songwriters. It’s a career that’s twisted and turned, from style to subject, both between records and within them. His new record, Mangy Love, ventures into realms of experimental soul, twisted psychedelia, and straight-up rock, resulting in a sound that articulates his live show better than ever before. Thematically, it’s far darker, tackling heavy issues through McCombs’ uniquely cracked lens of (oftentimes hilarious) lyrical wit and acumen toward subtlety. Hip-hop and beat poetry influences are highly evident, with several songs employing a speech-style and clever fast-paced wordplay.