"Death by Candy," combines the melodicism of "Ultrasound" (1998) with the grittier guitar textures of Silver's "You & Me & Hell" (1995)--witty, insightful slices of pop all sung with soul and open-hearted grace. The songs of "Death By Candy" work together as an integrated whole and while there are obvious standout singles like the lyrical "The Saint of 99," featuring Silver's luxuriously luscious vocals, or the gorgeously delicate "Motherbee," the disc tastes best when swallowed whole. The melodic highs and the gentle breezes of a song like "Residue"--as pretty a song as you will hear all year--go down better juxtaposed with the funky, rock solid "Renter's Hell" and "Care Package," on which the singer gets down and dirty.