Your enjoyment of this album depends greatly on your opinion of Plans, the last LP by Walla's day job, Death Cab For Cutie. Was it a gently-refined expression of the human heart, or the OC-approved band's final detour to Destination: Alt-MOR Blandness! Field Manual is, like most of DCFC's latter work, immaculately produced and tuneful. Walla's voice may not as affecting as Ben Gibbard's, but the guy can sing a lovely melody. Even if this album goes the way of many solo projects--a treasured curiosity for die-hards--you get the sense Walla was just excited to be calling all the shots for a bit.