As leader of the now-defunct Clem Snide, Eef Barzelay took flak from critics for weaving smart-alecky wordplay and pop-culture references into his keenly observational songs.

NPR: Eef Barzelay: A Blueprint For Finding Love

Truth be told, Barzelay's work has always mixed wryness with unmistakable warmth, and he's never gotten enough credit for both the subtlety of the former and the sincerity of the latter.

NPR: Eef Barzelay: A Blueprint For Finding Love

The group's one constant has been the unpredictable and inspired songwriting of Israeli-born, New Jersey-raised, Nashville-based Eef Barzelay, who seems to look at every issue sideways and winds up encountering real epiphanies.

NPR: Exclusive First Listen: Clem Snide

Since then, Barzelay has released a solo acoustic record (2006's Bitter Honey), recorded Clem Snide's swan song (the still-unreleased Hungry Bird), and made Lose Big, a smart and compact collection of rock 'n' roll conversation-starters.

NPR: Eef Barzelay: A Blueprint For Finding Love

Barzelay has never been afraid to turn a pop song into a mission statement: For proof, check out Clem Snide's masterful "I Love the Unknown, " which Barzelay helpfully tacks on as a bonus track to Lose Big.

NPR: Eef Barzelay: A Blueprint For Finding Love

Pleas for forgiveness, compromise and comfort surface in "Please" and "Anita, " among others, while the lush epic "With Nothing Much to Show of It" finds Barzelay looking for greater meaning, only to settle calmly for what's at hand.

NPR: Exclusive First Listen: Clem Snide