In "Flight," he warns, "Don't look down/It only drains you," as a violin and an accordion invoke an Italian sound suitable for a bittersweet gondola ride. The album's strongest track, "Happiness Today," finds a tribal beat sliding into a haunting chorus. So haunting, in fact, that beneath feedback guitars, Norah Jones' backing vocals sound like she has become a timid stalker when she softly echoes Gomez: "Looking up, no rain/Can't wash away our frame." Where other singer-songwriters attempt to preserve a coffeehouse vibe, Gomez confidently immerses himself in a rich environment--and he sounds that much more sophisticated for it.