The Last Great Challenge in a Dull World

Peter Jefferies’ first album after the dissolution of This Kind Of Punishment, the group he co-helmed with brother Graeme, might be his definitive statement. It certainly captures the many sides of Jefferies’ music — from gruff, strident rock songs (“Chain Or Reaction,” “The Other Side of Reason”) through heart-worn ballads like “On An Unknown Beach.” What makes Jefferies’ songs so compelling, though, is his capacity for emotional observation — the characters that populate his lyrics are finely drawn, and the situations he details are tightly woven and detailed. And while he does, sometimes, play his piano like it’s a percussion instrument, on songs like “Unknown Beach,” he uses the full lyrical heft of the piano, repeating a beautifully poised pattern with great delicacy.