Somethings Hurt a Little More carries forward the album’s deep folk influence with its delicate fingerpicked guitar, casting a mesmerizing spell. There’s a subtle hint of hope beneath the sadness, as if it’s searching for light in the darkness. Sutherland’s vocals are filled with a sense of confusion and raw pain, reflecting a classic love-gone-wrong narrative with no clear resolution in sight. The piano enters at the bridge, intensifying the emotion as he pleads to reach her heart—only for the song to cut off abruptly, leaving the longing unresolved. It’s a clear intentional choice, mirroring the rawness of heartache.

The title track, The World as It Used to Be, stands out as perhaps the strongest offering on the album. It feels like an epitaph for the entire record, firmly rooted in the tradition of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie. A modern-day protest song, it tackles the world’s injustices with a clear-eyed urgency, resonating deeply in today’s fractured landscape. The addition of a full band and the backing banjo add even more weight to its message, making it a powerful, resonant anthem. It’s the perfect centerpiece, tying together the album’s themes with a sense of both reflection and resistance.