For such a nascent act to claim this double album release (see companion album RUCKUS) is its masterpiece might be a bit bold. But in this day and age of humblebrags and selfies, why not? After one listen of this eclectic musical journey, the listener will be convinced indeed. Seventh Stranger visits a hodgepodge of style - 80s synth pop, house, tropical house, electronica, folktronica, and even gospel. And yet despite the varied textures, this is an artist's album, listing no co-writers or outside producers (save for the cover song Landslide and the co-producer/writer Tony Colucci on mindblown). This is a rarity in the music-factory based approach so common in pop music these days. The artist is bearing his heart on his sleeve in what he describes as a very 'cathartic bunch of tunes' exploring the demise of a relationship, the pain of longing, the exuberance of loving, and the plights of failure. He has described the album as his 'Bad Girls' or 'Sign O' The Times' (in its scope and division into four album 'sides'), his 'Like A Prayer' or 'Ray of Light' (in its style) with the storytelling of those and Everything But The Girl's 'Temperamental' album (likely also an inspiration for one of the RUMPUS tracks). The lyrics are erudite, thoughtful, biting... not the typical stuff of a pop record. This album makes 'pop music cool again.'