Graeme Jefferies took life in the 2000s on its own terms as much as he had in previous decades, but it has to be said that How Can You Be So Blind? is a joy even by his own standards. Kicking in with one of his most exuberant songs yet, “You Know I Really Like Your Style” — fast-paced, joyful and a sudden realization that there’s always going to be a place for this kind of winningly brisk rave-up — the album finds Jefferies and current rhythm section Michael Heilrath and Markus Acher in fine creative health. Songs like “The Rainmaker” chug in a nicely post-Velvet Underground/Krautrock vein, while “We See in the Dark” shows how readily the group can move from full arrangements to spare moments just so. Jefferies’ familiar low and ruminative singing style still predominates, with the way he can put perfect catches into his lyrics and melodies as graceful as ever — the shift in key on “Beautiful Hidden Legion” between verse and chorus makes the song, while the blend of spare acoustic guitar, vocals and subtle percussion and keyboard parts on “The Love You Had for Me” is simply exquisite. But it’s the gentle surprises throughout How Can You Be So Blind? that help make the album stand out all the more strongly among the many Jefferies has released as the Cakekitchen — while he clearly has a style, it’s how he has used and developed it which is key here. Take the title track, where an understated arrangement builds up slowly to a sudden stop, for soft guitar to take over and lead into a beautiful coda — a perfect touch of drama. – Ned Raggett
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