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The three-year project serves almost as a soundtrack to a collaboration of thoughts, and every complexity involved (Even the occasional schizophrenic themes a la Brian Wilson). Even despite the darker colorations throughout the album, Moore still laces in a sensation of patience and tranquility with his floating melodies and tightly woven harmonies. It is evident that he's learned from the best, and has indulged his ears and experience in a variety of genres.

Signs of Potential Life is a carefully layered timbre collage. What's even more impressive is Moore's well-rounded talent with instrumentation. The wide variety provides wonderfully distinctive sounds for each track. He also has quite a knack for painting rhythms and beats with simple layering of ambient sounds and mouth smacks. Admit it, a tasteful combination of glockenspiel, tongue clicks, and coughs are pretty rad.

The translation is kept intact even with Moore's live shows. His music presents a truthful intimacy with the audience. However, Jeff Ilgenfritz's (aka Mumpsy) addition of a full drum set on particular tracks during a live show left a small void of additional rhythmic drive when listening back to the album. But at the same time, the barren basement feel heard in "Visibility Anxiety" is exactly what makes the album beautifully authentic. Moore's lyrics deal with both raw subjects common to anyone who's suffered through loss as in "Coughing in the Clouds (In Our Love)", and even for the hesitant, doubtful artist in "Poetic Signals From Fruitless Laborers."

The album's colorful vocal harmonies reflect a refreshing reminder of the Beach Boys. But let me emphasize that "Signs of Potential Life" is no Pet Sounds 2007. The combination of respect and inspiration drawn from the unfiltered masters of yesterday, the talent of an open-minded and classically trained musician, and pure sound and unpredictability create a honest and respectable album that can be hard to come by these days.