Prolific New York artist Nate Amos (Water From Your Eyes, My Idea) has recorded and self-released hundreds of songs under the This Is Lorelei moniker, and perhaps surprisingly, after a decade plus, Box for Buddy, Box for Star marks the first attempt at a traditional, intentionally written full-length album. Amos describes the bulk of This Is Lorelei’s discography as “unedited diary entries,” written and recorded without much forethought, regard for genre or reverence for albums as thematic bodies of work, so oddly enough, Box for Buddy, Box for Star is both a fresh start and the culmination of years of diligent, interesting songwriting. Box for Buddy, Box for Star embraces traditional pop songcraft and a confessional, carefully written brand of lyricism, dabbling in the kind of classic singer-songwriter cliches Amos never imagined toying with—but not without the counterbalancing force of shitpost-y irony, which listeners have come to expect from him. On the album, Amos successfully pulls off a series of balancing acts: past and future, confidence and self-mockery, country and electronic music, self-improvement and accountability, openness and self-preservation. Nate Amos reaches into the depths of his personal hell and emerges with an intensely affecting album that offers listeners space to contemplate their own past, future, and conception of transformation.