People and Things (Deluxe Version)

People and Things perpetuates that age-old “third time’s the charm” adage right from the get-go. The instantly likeable opening number, “My Racing Thoughts,” rings and chimes like a newly unearthed Bruce Springsteen hit from the early '80s, replete with period-correct keyboard tones and a triumphant refrain. Similarly, the piano-pounding “Release Me” follows, sounding like it was heavily influenced by Stories’ 1973 cover of Hot Chocolate’s “Brother Louie.” The inspired lyrics here give better insight into the inner strength that McMahon mustered while fighting for his life. “Amy, I” is a well-crafted song that pines for emotional warmth during a brutal East Coast winter. McMahon’s prowess as a piano balladeer is revealed in moving musings, like “Television” and “Hey Hey Hey (We’re All Gonna Die),” but his salient strengths surface when he’s tapping into New Jersey denim-flavored piano rock, best exemplified in songs like the impassioned “Amelia Jean,” the driving “Hostage,” and the closing “Casting Lines.”