Deconstructing a failed relationship over the course of 11 songs, David Bronson takes his confessional songwriting into progressive pop realms on his debut album, Story. The New Yorker kept these compositions under wraps for a decade while coming to terms with his heartache. His lyrics have a diary-like quality, while his music has the layered, slightly theatrical feel of ‘70s-era David Bowie and present-day Rufus Wainwright. Bronson’s melodies are complex and challenging, fleshed out with jazz-tinged guitars, splashy percussion, and sparkling keyboards. Tracks like “The Turns,” "Times,” and “The Others” have a sonic expansiveness that contrasts oddly (but effectively) with the songs' intimate content. “Watch the Sun (October Surprise)” has a cinematic grandeur in the mode of classic progressive rock. Bronson’s vocals—augmented by honey-toned backup singer Maria Neckham—have a vulnerable quality that keeps the music warm and human. The shimmering closing track, “Unending (Underture),” achieves a melancholy elegance that suggests acceptance, if not a final healing.