As a producer more interested in atmospheric sensibilities than technical perfection, Daniel Lanois has masterminded career-defining albums for U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, often reinventing their sound by adding layers of mystery and depth. Recorded with jazz drummer Brian Blade and pianist Garth Hudson, Lanois' sixth studio album is an eclectic mix of richly textured rock songs, mellow vibes and hypnotic instrumentals, interspersed with snippets from philosophical conversations with mentor Brian Eno. Ghostly fuzz guitars hover over the title track, and the haunting "Where Will I Be," previously recorded by Emmylou Harris, reveals a soulful songwriter. Though limited in range, Lanois' hushed vocals are pure and soothing on the Dylan-inspired "Not Fighting Anymore," but he seems even more at home in the sublime, wordless waves of his pedal steel guitar ("Bladesteel," "Sacred and Secular"). —Sven Philipp