Public Library is the long-awaited new album by Minneapolis singer/songwriter Jonathan Rundman, his first collection of previously unreleased material since 2000’s Sound Theology. The album’s thematic centerpiece is the power-pop vocational anthem “Librarian” where Rundman claims the role of musical bibliotechnician, gathering works of fiction, non-fiction, news, and history and presenting them in rock & roll form for access by the masses. “I bring order out of chaos, I shine light into the dark,” Rundman sings, “because power comes from knowledge just like fire from a spark.” A grandiose statement about songwriting perhaps, but one Rundman has lived up to. Even Billboard magazine has admitted “Rundman takes lyrical risks that pay off.” Rundman’s precision with melody and wordplay have been the foundation of his music throughout his career and Public Library continues with more of the same, although with a richer sonic backdrop thanks to producer Walter Salas-Humara of the New York City band The Silos. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.