Acoustic guitar and synthesizer ominously cushion and ride along the opener, "Weddings," whose first lyric, "Open bar means I'm safe," sets Jackson off into a cool terrain of coded literate delivery you might expect to hear from the Decemberists or find  on "Reckoning," REM's first turning point, and, coincidentally, their second album.

Produced by Jerry Kee (Superchunk, Portastatic, Kingsbury Manx) at his Duck-Kee studio in Mebane, North Carolina, "The Meeting After the Meeting" doesn't offend as it subtly harbors influences of Chapel Hill and Athens, circa their heyday, which is more evident in tracks like  "Read Like A Number"  and March Throughout Mayday," where banjo and vibraphone elegantly cohabitate.

Citified's meditation feels purposeful in its execution and proof builds a rewarding listen when acoustics fade and tone supplants meaning in the dreamy "KL Gala."  Its beauty is a color, opaque enough to be either a break up album or a falling in love album, and while Citified's sound is marked by region; equally, its layered touches favor multiple listens.

Maybe it's Jackson's stoic look back that fills my two favorite tacks: "Line the Streets" and "Mascot" (fortunately for me they're back-to-back) where Citified neither obsesses on the negative nor emotes with glee, but rather surprises with the composition and care I like about the cinematic feel of Interpol and the National.

With only seven tracks, "The Meeting After the Meeting,” is relinquished from other fault. With more ambiance than their debut; Citified hits their stride, let's hope it's a nice run. File under: enigmatic melodic sing along folk post new wave.

Citified is online at Myspace.com, and Eskimo Kiss can be found here.