Lost In Transition, by Sixpence None the Richer

It’s been 14 years since Sixpence None the Richer released the single “Kiss Me.” That irresistible pop song dominated the radio, peaked at number two on Billboard’s Hot 100, anchored the movie She’s All That and provided a backdrop for the wedding of Britain’s Prince Edward. Little did many listeners know that the song came from a group named for a C. S. Lewis analogy concerning God-bestowed gifts.

Now Sixpence has a new album—its first in ten years. The layoff was tumultuous, marked by turmoil both professional and personal. But the band hasn’t picked up where it left so much as leapfrogged. Matt Slocum still embroiders joyful, ringing guitar sounds, and Leigh Nash still sings with diaphanous sparkle. Yet the album takes a brisk clip—ten of the 12 songs clock in at less than four minutes each—and producer Jim Scott (Wilco, Crowded House) delivers a full, vibrant sound that’s short on frills and high on octane. Literally, in some cases—“My Dear Machine” salutes a rusted-out car; the song is spiked with sassy horns in counterpoint to its full-gallop beat: