Patch The Sky is, like much of Mould's output, an album that takes time to reveal itself. On first listen, this is a collection of dense instrumentation and howled angst but repeated listens sees the album expose itself strip by strip and layer by layer as melodies begin to appear like buds in spring but growing into full bloom. He certainly makes you work for the rewards and there's a strange re-assurance to be had that, even after all this time, Mould still refuses to pander or make things easier on his listeners. But then again, that's always been one of Mould's strengths, and he knows that by making his albums more of an active experience on the part of the listener, the greater the investment and rewards.