As Jay Reatard’s career has progressed, his music has gotten incrementally poppier. Watch Me Fall aims to throw the baby-step method to the dogs, leaping headlong into explosive indie pop while keeping intact Reatard’s garage-rock roots.

The album is book-ended with its heaviest songs, more along the lines of what we’d expect from Reatard. Opener “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me” showcases the singer at his bratty best and the song would absolutely levitate if it weren’t for the defeatist lyrics — “All is lost, there is no hope.” The dichotomy between the energy of the music and the despair of the lyrics continues on the next track, “Before I Was Caught,” which creates a surging momentum that A.C. Newman would be proud of, while the lyrics hint at the virtues of staying in bed.

The early songs are energetic and passionate, but the more interesting departures come in the middle of the album. “Can’t Do It Anymore” plays like a sped-up, aggressive Cheap Trick single, while “I’m Watching You” is an acoustic-guitar-and-synth jam that could just as well be a showcase for Buddy Holly’s dark side. Listening to Reatard embrace melody and song structure like this, you realize there’s a lot more to him than the lo-fi garage punk of his younger days. You could always hear his songwriting chops through the fuzz of his electric guitar, but when Reatard gives himself some room to breathe, he really shines.