Oftentimes, an artist's sophomore effort is less satisfying than his first. Not the case with Joe Ongie and Pilgrim Soul's "Cuckold". Ongie's follow up to the semi-eponymous "Pilgrim Soul" shows his growth as a producer and arranger. From "What Are You Gonna Do"'s powerful fade-in to the final, Indian-African percussive fade out of "Symmetry", Ongie's willingness to go beyond the normal bounds of pop song writing on this disc is clear and unapologetic. His hook-making ability is well in evidence as is his sense of musical history ("Waiting For You Jane" includes a nod to Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane".). Highlights of this disc include "St. Mark's Passion", "Oh! Catherine", "Waiting For Your Jane" and "Symmetry", but every track is emminently hummable and listenable. Unusual instrumentation abounds on this album and songs slip into next-track beginnings from previous-track fading endings. The vocal layers are miles deep at times. The production is first-rate and the musicans are all top-notch. If you like interesting lyrics that examine familiar topics with a slightly skewed, occasionally amusing and at times somewhat dark perspective combined with intelligently written and arranged pop songs, get this CD.

Many recording artists don't want to be called pop artists for they feel it puts them in the same category of mediocrity as the reigning kings and queens of top 40 music. Joe Ongie is a pop artist in the category of Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Nick Lowe. Maybe you don't like all of these artists, but they had the ability to combine melody, lyrics and instrumentation into songs that ran through your head constantly. Joe Ongie deserves more recognition and should be selling more albums. Buy this album and you will not be disappointed.

Mr. Ongie is a world-class musician. 'Critical Darling' is still my favorite of his, but I'd put this right on par with 'Lovefest'. The opener is fun and loud, a real rocker (complete with great swells and crashes and barbershop-style "do-do-do-do's"), and after an intro that oddly reminds me of Sean Penn's character from I Am Sam, the second song is a keeper as well (evokes Sports' Huey Lewis & The News, no? That comes from a HLN fan... despite their bad rap). #3 (St. Mark's Passion) is a bit of a ballad, and though it doesn't stand out, it fits in well next to the bouncy 'Oh! Catherine', a summery-sounding cut with what sounds like a fiddle? I don't want to waste anyone's time here outlining the entire album, my own included. I like Joe Ongie's music on a whole and this didn't let me down one bit... check out at least one of his discs and work your way down the list, yeah? Good for you, I say.

Since the Beatles are to contemporary pop what Bach was to classical music, it doesn't hurt to tip your hat to the masters once in a while. Singer-songwriter Joe Ongie has on his second release, Cuckold. Lover's of inventive, pop-rock will go crazy over Cuckold, which features 10 gems written by Ongie.