Leaving his avant-rock past (Faust, Slapp Happy, etc.) behind, Blegvad began releasing relatively straightforward, song-oriented albums in the late '80s with DOWNTIME. That album's follow-up, JUST WOKE UP, ups the ante with less experimental diversions, more stripped-down arrangements and a resultant increase of focus on Blegvad's skewed-but-hooky songwriting. DOWNTIME'S occasional sonic references to XTC are borne out here by the affecting ballad "Hell's Despite", co-written by XTC frontman Andy Partridge. Blegvad loves to turn a satirical eye toward the dark side of life, and he does so expertly on "Mad Love Vanishes", "Waste of Time" and others, but his eccentric sense of humor keeps the darkness from becoming overwhelming. JUST WOKE UP is this master songwriter's brightest moment.