American English is an album that, as Tor suggests, has plenty of ebb and flow. There s bold and grandiose (Surrender), there s pop with a range of colour (Carter & Cash, Always), and there s hushed and beautiful (Baby Blue). Schizophrenic? Not so much, Tor has managed to commit to that sense of vastness, but kept a sonic thread throughout that keeps it from being a mish-mash of ideas. It goes for the jugular, grapples with it, and ultimately wins.