The Far Now

David Kilgour's sixth solo album, The Far Now, is predictable in the best way possible. He's been delivering nothing but first-rate music for almost 30 years with the Clean and on his own, and this is no exception. With his backing band, the Heavy Eights, Kilgour lays down about as tuneful and atmospheric a set of indie rock as you'll find anywhere. Most of the album sticks to Kilgour's strengths, namely chiming indie rock that alternately chugs along in classic New Zealand fashion ("Sun of God," "Yenisei") and meanders dreamily ("Too Long from Me," "Wave of Love"). That's not to say The Far Now lacks variety, because Kilgour does some different things that make the album stronger, like adding the occasional female harmony vocal, squiggly keyboards, and string sections. He also dips into some other styles, showing a knack for straightforward acoustic balladry on "Under Clouds"; tender bedroom folk on "I Cut My Heart Out Once"; and sparkling pop that will have you singing along before the song is half over on "BBC World" and the country-ish "We Really Can't Get Along." The epic-length album-closer, "Out of the Moment," finds Kilgour and his band stretching out and jamming in a droney fashion, sort of like a noodly VU. Only this last track fails to impress, as it comes off sounding like indulgent filler, especially when the songs that precede it are so concisely wonderful. So wonderful that the lone misstep is not enough to tarnish another fine effort from one of the true heroes of indie rock.