Jeremy Enigk

In the mid-'90s, Jeremy Enigk fronted the critically lauded Sunny Day Real Estate. Enigk was an indie god. And then he found God. He took a spiritual exodus, briefly leaving Sunny Day, but later reunited with the often-tumultuous group before it finally dissolved in 2001. During that time, Enigk also managed to produce his first solo effort, 1996's The Return of the Frog Queen. In 2003, he regrouped with Sunny Day drummer William Goldsmith and bassist Nate Mendel (who also moonlights in the Foo Fighters) to form the Fire Theft. That band seems to be on an extended break while Enigk tours in support of his second solo album, World Waits, which was released last month. It took a decade for Enigk to step back into the one-man arena, and clearly, much has happened in those years. Gone is the orchestral-pop feel of Frog Queen; in its stead are World's layered violins and heavy guitar sweeps. Swagging between matured songwriting and self-indulgent structured melody, the new album isn't as captivating as Enigk's earlier work. Taking into account his rich musical history, though, both Worldand Enigk are definitely worth a second listen.