I liked Emily Haines better before we were formally introduced. Her disembodied voice cut through forgivably hokey instrumentals on Stars's track "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" and represented a kind of feminine indie-pop ideal: pensive but bright and clear, and powerful but lilting and sweet. With early success in ensemble endeavors, Haines's second solo effort is about as useful as getting (her words, not mine) "a new tattoo of your own name."

While not overtly offensive, Haines' new EP, What is Free to a Good Home, is guilty of musical misdemeanors. The disjunctive storytelling lyrics fail to engage, and the unrelenting smooth-jazz vibe stymies the upward momentum of Haines's previous work. Cast-off tracks from companion album Knives Don't Have Your Back are executed with a palatability reminiscent of the '80s crooners Haines inexplicably factors into her lyrics. Dropping names like Huey Lewis and Billy Joel in the least ironic way possible serve only to emphasize the suffocating blandness of Haines' own soft rock. On the up side, the Broken Social Scene veteran may have a bright future on the ever-popular Adult Contemporary circuit.—Amber Sutherland